ISLAMABAD, JUL 15 /DNA/ – A meeting of Senate Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting was held today at Islamabad with Senator Sarmad Ali in the chair. The meeting was attended by Senators Syed Waqar Mehdi, Jan Muhammad and Abdul Shakoor Khan. Senator Pervaiz Rashid participated in the committee meeting proceedings via zoom link. The Committee reviewed matters relating to media policy, welfare of media workers, functioning of public sector media organizations, and issues concerning the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA).
The Committee expressed concern over discrepancies in the data previously presented by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) regarding social media accounts. Members noted that NCCIA had subsequently disowned the figures shared by their officials during an earlier meeting of sub committee. The standing Committee directed NCCIA to clarify whether the figures presented by them were authentic or not. Senator Sarmad Ali directed NCCIA to submit verified and updated figures.
The Information Minister informed the Committee that the Government had revised the government advertisement policy in 2024 and had introduced comprehensive guidelines and procedures for transparent distribution of government advertising .He stated that electronic media receives the largest share of government advertising, followed by print media and digital media. He informed the Committee that a third-party verification mechanism has been introduced for the purpose of authentication of digital advertising. He clarified that only a limited portion of government advertisements was being placed on social media platforms.
Highlighting the Government’s commitment to media workers, the Minister stated that efforts are consistently being made to ensure timely payment of salaries and dues to media workers and to link this with government advertising. He proposed that a compensation package be introduced for the families of deceased media employees. Senator Sarmad Ali stated that it was the responsibility of media organisations to provide compensation to the families of their workers in case of their death while on duty.
Senator Syed Waqar Mehdi supported the proposal for a financial package for the families of deceased media workers and suggested that the Committee should recommend a fixed compensation amount. The Committee expressed serious concern over the growing trend of downsizing in the media industry and recommended that government advertisements be withheld and advertising rates be revised for media organizations who fail to pay salaries to their employees on time. It further recommended that all media organizations be directed to register with the Employees’ Old-Age Benefits Institution (EOBI) and that life insurance coverage be made mandatory for media workers.
The Minister sought proposals from the concerned Department regarding the life insurance scheme and assured the Committee that the Government would also consider contributing to such a fund. The Committee observed that the print media must be supported to ensure its sustainability. The Chair observed that the government needs to support mainstream media in order to effectively counter fake news and disinformation on social media. Senator Jan Muhammad highlighted the issues faced by regional newspapers especially from Balochistan and stressed their importance in projecting the national narrative. The Committee directed the Ministry to formulate a comprehensive policy for the promotion and protection of regional newspapers.
Discussing the recently released film titled Buleha Senator Pervaiz Rasheed observed that Bulleh Shah is a revered Sufi saint whose poetry and teachings are respected across generations. He expressed concern that the film had associated the name of the spiritual personality with violent content. As the Minister stated that he was not in a position to respond, the Committee decided to summon all members of the Central Board of Film Censors, along with the producer of the film, at its next meeting to explain the approval process and also directed the Ministry to share minutes of the censor board meeting in which it was approved.
The Committee was informed that Pakistan Television (PTV) has, for the first time, become financially self-sufficient. The Minister stated that PTV currently prefers to hire contractual employees according to operational requirements in order to protect the corporation from the burden of pensions. He further informed the Committee that PTV is the only television broadcaster in Pakistan holding the rights to broadcast the FIFA World Cup, 2026. He maintained that recently PTV News had recruited anchors on merit and they are contributing positively towards ratings and viewership. Responding to concerns regarding disclosure of salaries, the Minister stated that private media organizations do not disclose the salaries of their anchors as it is important to protect their privacy. He stated that he would apply the same criteria for PTV anchorsZ however, he suggested that if the Committee desires any information regarding their compensation he can share it in an in-camera meeting.
Senator Syed Waqar Mehdi recommended revision of the rental rates of Radio Pakistan’s office building in Karachi, as out of its 17 floors 8 floors were lying vacant. The Committee was informed that tenders for the revision of rental rates had recently been published. The Committee directed PBC to submit a viable utilization plan for the vacant space. The Committee also proposed commercial utilization of vacant portions of PTV buildings to generate additional revenue and emphasized the revival of drama productions at PTV.
The Committee also discussed issues relating to the residents of PTV Colony, Islamabad, and recommended that their concerns be addressed on priority. It further advised the residents to meet with the Chairman of the Capital Development Authority (CDA)along-with all other concerned in order to get their concerns resolved. They asked CDA representative to record and submit the minutes of the meeting to the Committee.
The Committee also took notice of reports that NCCIA had issued notices to certain newspapers and their columnists. Members observed that such actions did not fall within the legal mandate of NCCIA and could amount to harassment of newspapers and journalists. Senator Sarmad Ali directed the NCCIA to ensure that no action will be taken against newspapers or their websites as these do not fall under its ambit. Senator Syed Waqar Mehdi recalled that NCCIA officials had previously assured the Committee that no FIRs would be registered under PECA by provincial police and that such cases will be transferred to NCCIA. The Committee directed NCCIA to submit a comprehensive report indicating whether any cases have been transferred by the provinces to them.
