Govt to lease out Radio Pakistan HQ
ISLAMABAD:Federal Minister for Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage Fawad Chaudhry on Wednesday said the building of Radio Pakistan will be given on lease to build Pak Media University and in this regard it has asked for proposal from the department concerned.
While responding over a letter shared in the official Whatsapp group of Ministry of Information stating that a proposal may be prepared on giving Radio Pakistan Headquarters on long-term lease and shifting of Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation headquarters to PBC Academy in H-9, the federal minister said, “just like PBC headquarters there are a number of dead properties which will be utilised for generating funds.”
Earlier, however, some senior officials of the ministry denied this move while terming this letter, ‘fake.’ But a sudden and unexpected reply of the information minister himself in the official Whatsapp group said it all.
Chaudhry said, “Radio Pakistan building was built in the 1950s when large transmitters were required. However now radio could easily be run from one room and doesn’t require a huge land. Pakistan needs research institutes instead of all this.” The federal minister, who gave an incorrect year of its construction, faced criticism from media persons.
Meanwhile, he said two universities of international standard will be established in the red zone, one will be in the Prime Minister House and the second will be in the PBC building. “Without having universities as per international level we cannot move forward,” he said.
Chaudhry said that the lease of PBC building will be done in consultation with the Ministry of Planning.
While replying to a query he said currently there are no plans for leasing out Pakistan Television Islamabad headquarters. He also announced that an amount of one million dollar will be used for upgrading PTV.
Meanwhile on September 19, the PBC headquarters shared the Ministry of Information’s letter regarding shifting of PBC headquarters to PBA with the officials of PBC and requested their viewpoint in the matter by September 25 for preparation of the proposal for onward submission to the ministry.
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