NA committee for programmes on war on terror
ISLAMABAD: Legislators in the Lower House of Parliament on Friday directed the Ministry of Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage to work for creativity programmes on PTV and attacked organisations for changing the people’s mindset on war on terror. Pakistan is at war and we have to win it, said Marvi Memon, while chairing the NA Standing Committee on Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage at the Parliament House.
“The ministry should forward some initiative programmes for winning the war on terror.”
She regretted that there was nothing in the new projects of the ministry and its attach departments like PTV, Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation and others.
The committee expects a huge chunk of allocation for war strategy in the upcoming budget, she added.
The chairperson also endorsed the proposals of establishing a complete Pashto channel by PTV and directed the ministry to forward proposals in this regard so that the committee could consider and approve it.
“Establishment of a Pashto channel is need of the hour keeping in view the ongoing war in FATA and Pashtun areas, including Afghanistan.” She asked the ministry to forward its proposals of new schemes on war on terror programmes next week and assured that such scheme would be included in the PSDP 2015-16.
The Ministry of Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage presented the progress/review on the projects completed and to be completed through budgetary proposals relating to the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) for fiscal year 2014-15 and for FY 2015-16. The ministry further informed that an amount of Rs 919.823 million was required for the completion of 43 ongoing PSDP projects, and an additional amount of Rs 587.935 million had been proposed for the allocation in the PSDP for the financial year 2015-16 for 16 new projects of the Ministry and its allied organisations.
The committee directed that the ministry and its attach organisations/departments be given funds for improving their productivity and the proposals may be included in the budgetary proposals of the PSDP for the year 2015-16. It further directed the ministry to formulate another budgetary PSDP proposal for creating inter-provincial harmony and counterterrorism narrative against terrorist activities.
The legislators also directed that Pakistan National Council of Arts (PNCA) to arrange cultural shows for the people of FATA and Balochistan, and PTV to initiate proposals for launching a Pashto channel.
The Pakistan Academy of Letters may arrange literary festivals and seminars in the country for creating a soft image of Pakistan, they said.
MNA Muhammad Talal Bhatti said that most of the schemes were related to PTV, for which every person in the country was paying. He said that private channels have DSNGs at every divisional level but PTV did not. Responding to his quarries, PTV Managing Director Mohammad Malick said that PTV required funds for upgrading its infrastructures. There are drastic changes in PTV and even current affairs programmes were being aired.
Malick also told the committee that PTV’s role as the state-run television should also be taken into consideration. Private channels are running 100 percent for profit, while PTV is running several programmes, like on agriculture, education and social issues, for certain purposes. The chairperson of the committee directed the PTV to enhance its coverage to FATA, GB and other parts of the country.
” 
” 
” 
” 
