Senate committee asks Radio Pakistan management to furnish business plan

ISLAMABAD, Nov 18 (APP):Senate Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting on Monday asked Radio Pakistan’s management to furnish a business plan for the uplift of the national broadcaster.

The meeting chaired by Senator Faisal Javed issued directives that the report on the sales and marketing team of Radio Pakistan should be presented in the next three days.

Chairman Standing Committee Faisal Javed suggested the PBC could efficiently use its buildings to generate revenue. He appreciated the professionalism of Radio Pakistan’s employees as well as and their adoption of digital technology and the latest gadgets.

He asked the Radio management to improve the signal of medium wave transmission so that the listeners could benefit from its broadcast.

He said Radio Pakistan could prove to be an information platform for the entire route of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project.

The Chairman said Radio Pakistan had also a legacy of live cricket commentary and it should rediscover the same by hiring the best people in the field. He said this could prove to be an important source of revenue for the organization.

The standing committee directed Radio Pakistan to start a Tajweed Quran program from next Monday.It also asked the organization to ensure timely payment of salaries, hiring and pensions to its employees.

Senator Anwarul Haq Kakar said that there was need to promote national narrative in Balochistan and Radio Pakistan could play an effective role in this regard if its transmission covered entire the province. He also demanded that Khuzdar radio Station should be upgraded.

Senator Rubina Khalid said that state electronic media was responsible for character building of the new generation, and it should improve the quality of its content and air programmes on civic issues like health and children. She regretted that no content was being broadcast for children on the radio.

On the occasion, the committee members highlighted the significance of the PBC and stressed that its content and transmission should be further improved.

Secretary Information and Broadcasting Zahida Parveen said the government would have to give a bailout package to the organization to clear its current liabilities. She mentioned that the state broadcasters nowhere in the world made profits rather they were supported by the governments.

Director General Radio Pakistan Samina Waqar gave a detailed briefing to the committee about the working of Radio Pakistan. She said “We are moving from analogue to digitalization for which a digital migration policy has been prepared.”

She said this project to be completed in three phases would cost Rs 4 billion .

The project would be executed after the approval of the cabinet and provision of requisite funds, she said.

The meeting was attended by Senators Pir Sabir Shah, Tahir Bazinjo, Sajjad Turi, Rubina Khalid and Maulana Attaur Rehman.