ISLAMABAD, Jul 21 (APP):Minister for Information and Broadcasting Senator Shibli Faraz said on Tuesday that the proposal for enhancing Pakistan Television Corporation fee was deferred by the Federal Cabinet till next week. Briefing media persons after the cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan, he said the proposal was discussed in the cabinet in wake of financial difficulties being faced by PTV. He said the state-run TV was facing problems in payment of pension to its 3000 pensioners, adding the previous governments had brought the PTV to the verge of collapse, which had a glorious past and the present government wanted to revive its past glory.
The minister said the PTV, like other national institutions including Pakistan Steel and Pakistan International Airlines were left in dire straits by the previous governments by appointment of cronies in utter disregard of merit and mismanagement. Shibli said restructuring of PTV had been approved but funds were needed to replace its obsolete equipment as the process of production had been almost halted. He said the cabinet also appreciated Prime Minister Imran Khan’s decision making it mandatory for public office holders to declare their assets to ensure transparency and increase people’s confidence in their representatives. He said it was a historic step as no such tradition existed in Pakistan in the past.
The minister said the cabinet assured the prime minister that they would move forward the PM’s philosophy of transparency. He said in the past, the governments focused on costly power projects and credit for start of work Diamir Bhasha dam went to the PTI regime which was the first big dam since the Ayub Khan era. He said it was a project which would benefit the coming generations of the country by meeting needs of power and water storage. About the issue of payment of outstanding dues of media houses, the minister said the prime minister had issued instructions for early payment of dues.
Regarding availability of wheat and wheat flour in the market, Shibli Faraz said the government had allowed the public and private sector to import the commodity to avoid any shortage. He said the cabinet gave directives to the concerned ministries to take all steps to stabilize its prices. The cabinet directed that there should not be any hindrance in transportation of wheat and flour within the country and for meeting the gap between wheat produce and demand, import of the commodity had been allowed to both the public and private sector. He said Sindh government would be requested to waive off excise duty on import of wheat.
Shibli said the cabinet also gave approval to the Treasury Single Account Rules 2020 which was introduced to streamline the utilization of the government funds as in the past every ministry and division had their own accounts and funds were not utilized properly. The cabinet, he said, also approved amendments in Anti-Money Laundering Bill 2020 and amendments in Anti-Terrorism Act 1997 to control money laundering and terror financing to the satisfaction of FATF. The cabinet also gave its nod to National Health Emergency Response Act 2020 to meet health emergencies in future. He said realization of coordination among the units of the federation was felt during the coronavirus outbreak. He said the National Command and Operation Centre overcame this problem and time proved that Prime Minister Imran Khan’s strategy to save lives and livelihood had proved very effective.
The minister said that Pakistan was much better than many neighbouring and advanced countries where both economies and health sectors were destroyed by the outbreak.
He said there was a need of keeping social distancing by following SOPs on Eidul Azha so that the spread of the pandemic could be further controlled. Shibli said that the PTI government’s construction sector incentives would not only revive the economy but provide homes to the low-income people, a slogan of another political party but being translated into reality under the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan. He said under the plan mortgage facilities would be extended to the housing sector which would revolutionize the entire concept of house building.
The minister said a report regarding Ehsas Emergency Cash Programme was also presented before the cabinet. He said the prime minister appreciated Special Assistant on Poverty Allocation and Social Protection Dr Sania Nishtar and her entire team for transferring cash assistance to the deserving people in a transparent manner and beyond political considerations. He said during the meeting, the prime minister said that this infinitive was taken for the betterment of the poor segments of the society and no political motives were behind it as it was purely a humanitarian initiative.
Replying to the questions of the media persons, he said that thanks to Almighty Allah for His blessings and Prime Minister Imran Khan’s visionary leadership in dealing with the pandemic, the situation in Pakistan was far better as compared to many countries as it had sunk many economies across the globe. The minister said the unprecedented package for the construction industry and incentives to weak segments of the society to push for their own homes would prove a big leap in moving the economy forward, besides providing jobs to tens of thousands of people. Shibli Faraz said that Khawaja brothers had become ‘angels’ (innocents) as the nation fully knew about their misdeeds; actually these people had destroyed the state institutions.He requested the media persons not to give coverage to these people.
He said the opposition had wished the COVID-19 would have played havoc in the country and wanted the economy to collapse so that they could get rid of the government, which was holding them accountable. The minister alleged that all the state institutions had been ruined by the past governments, including Pakistan Steel Mills, PIA and PTV by stuffing them with political appointees and in total disregard to merit and the PTI government was trying to revive them. Answering a question, he said these people had their vested interests everywhere and at the investigation level, things were made to ensure they could not be held responsible, whereas a judge had to base his judgement on proofs and evidence.
The minister pointed out that even in pilots’ case and now declaration of assets by advisers and special assistants, the agents of opposition turned against the government and tried to paint a highly positive thing as negative. He said that they had realized that their future was bleak that was why they issued statements and held APCs. Shibli Faraz said that Prime Minister Imran Khan particularly asked why media dues had not been cleared completely so far and gave one week to the ministries to do the needful so that media persons could get all their salaries. The minister had been tasked to look into the matter.
The minister said a comprehensive system was being worked out, to be backed by the law to ensure timely payment of salaries to journalists. To a question about the whereabouts of senior journalist Mutiullah Jan, the minister said he learnt about the incident after the cabinet meeting and contacted Interior Minister Jazz Shah. The minister said that Muttullah Jan had been kidnapped and the government would try to devise a strategy for his recovery.
