–Info minister says plan to overhaul PTV has been approved while decision to hike licence fee has been deferred till next week
–Says federal cabinet lauded PM’s decision to release asset details, nationalities of advisers and SAPMs
–Shibli says Centre will ask Sindh govt not to charge taxes on wheat imports
ISLAMABAD: The government on Tuesday deferred its decision to increase the monthly fee of Pakistan Television (PTV) licence for a week amid a nationwide outcry.
The state-run broadcaster charges a monthly fee of Rs35 from electricity consumers, which provides it with billions in annual funding. According to the reports, the government was planning to hike fee from Rs35 to Rs100.
Briefing the media on the federal cabinet’s meeting chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan earlier in the day, Information Minister Shibli Faraz said that the past governments of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) destroyed PTV and overstaffed it with political appointments.
“The plan to overhaul the state-run broadcaster has been approved and decision to hike the licence fee has been deferred till next week,” said the minister, adding that the final decision will be taken after further deliberation.
The PTV management had earlier proposed to increase its revenue by increasing TV licence fees, maintaining that public broadcasters around the world are supported by their governments to project their national narrative and that the nominal amount being charged is not enough to meet the requirements of the institution.
Addressing reporters, Shibli said that the PTI-led government now required a huge investment in order to rebrand the PTV as the state’s representative and a voice of Pakistan.
“We also cannot pay the pensions because of a large number of pensioners — at least 3,000 — who have yet to be paid pensions. So, to fix all the management and technical issues, including outdated cameras and no production work going on, we are forced to come to this decision, rather proposal.
“Now, as far as building and restructuring is concerned, planning has already been completed,” the minister said, adding that nothing could be done without the resources, especially when the issues of pensions, salaries, and new equipment had to be solved.
ADVISERS AND SAPMS:
With regard to the recent information released pertaining to asset details and nationalities of Prime Minister Imran Khan’s aides and special assistants, the minister said the cabinet lauded the move, which he said was based on the PTI chairperson’s longstanding stance.
“PM Imran has always believed that all public representatives should declare their assets and he did that in 2011 too when he asked the core committee members to declare their assets — that we did. This is yet another step in that process, a step he promised and now that promise has been fulfilled.
Noting that “this has never been done before”, Faraz said individual steps were the start of a long journey, including transparency for not only the elected public representatives but advisers and special assistants as well, since they were part of the government and the cabinet.
The condition of declaring assets was applicable on the prime minister’s advisers and special assistants as well. “I believe the entire cabinet lauded the prime minister’s decision and it was stressed that we would go forward with this philosophy,” he said.
WHEAT AND FLOUR PRICES:
Speaking about the wheat and flour crises, the federal minister said Prime Minister Imran had inquired about the matter from relevant ministry. “The government is currently trying to ensure flour prices do not rise.
“Wheat imports worth 1.5 million tonnes were allowed to close the gap between supply and demand,” he said, adding that there was a shortage of 1.5 million tonnes at one point in time. However, some tonnes’ worth of orders have been processed, he added.
The minister said hoarding was “hostility towards the society” and urged people to report those who engaged in such menaces. Action would be taken against hoarders, he promised.
Shibli noted that the government of Sindh would be asked not to charge taxes on wheat imports and instead facilitate them further.
“Imran Khan is fulfilling the dream of ‘roti, kapra, aur makaan’ through the Ehsaas [Emergency Cash] Programme. Others spoke about ‘roti, kapra, aur makaan’ but that remained merely a chant,” he said, taking a jibe at Sindh’s ruling party, the PPP, and referring to its slogan of providing basic necessities, such as food, clothing, and housing.
The information minister said the PTI’s efforts made it easier for people to purchase houses. “Home financing is provided all over the world,” he said.
“The start of the construction industry will revolutionise the country,” he claimed. People should take full advantage of the incumbent government’s initiatives for the said sector, he added.
The minister said a report on the Ehsaas Emergency Cash Programme was presented in the cabinet meeting and that PM Imran congratulated Sania Nishtar — his special assistant on poverty alleviation and social safety — for providing relief to the deserving people in an efficient manner.
A question was raised to what was the Ehsaas programme’s political gain to the ruling PTI, to which the prime minister responded not everything was done with that goal in mind, Shibli added. “Prime Minister Imran says the Ehsaas programme is not aimed at gaining a political edge but to please God.”
With regard to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, he said Pakistan was able to control it “due to Prime Minister Imran Khan’s strategy”. During the crisis, the government observed that there would have been challenges had the National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC) not existed, he added.
“Take precautions on Eidul Azha so that the coronavirus situation does not worsen,” he stressed during the press conference, adding that people needed to take a lot of care during the upcoming festivities.
