On August 18, the National Assembly (NA) Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting directed the Ministry of Information to prepare a concrete strategy to put Pakistan Television (PTV) on a sustainable financial footing and identify alternative revenue streams for the state broadcaster.
The committee, chaired by Member of the National Assembly (MNA) Pullain Baloch, met at the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) headquarters. Expressing concern over PTV’s financial crisis, members said the institution had reached a point where it was struggling to pay staff salaries. The committee called for an inquiry to determine how the organisation fell into such decline and to fix responsibility.
Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar briefed the committee, noting that a new marketing plan had been drawn up and a comprehensive restructuring exercise was underway to cut unnecessary expenses. He said PTV had secured broadcasting rights for international and domestic cricket events, which were expected to bring in additional revenue. He added that government grants would also help the channel meet immediate financial obligations.
Turning to PEMRA-related issues, the committee directed the authority to fast-track cabinet approval of its rules. Members stressed that regulating web-based television channels and over-the-top (OTT) platforms was critical for ensuring fair competition with traditional broadcasters. They underlined that upholding cultural and religious values required an effective regulatory framework.
The committee also instructed PEMRA to keep a strict check on advertisements and ensure that television channels broadcast public service messages as required under the PEMRA law. Officials briefed members that the rapid expansion of digital platforms posed serious regulatory challenges since web and OTT services were currently unregulated. A consultative process with stakeholders had been completed and light-touch regulations had been proposed in the revised rules.
The committee further directed the Ministry of Information to actively follow up with the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) over embezzlement of billions of rupees in the pension accounts of the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP). Officials said the scam had been unearthed by the present APP management and a First Information Report (FIR) had already been registered against the accused.
The meeting concluded with members offering Fateha (prayers) for those who lost their lives in recent floods across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB). They also acknowledged the government’s relief and rehabilitation efforts.
