The Senate Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting on September 18 expressed concerns over the relevance and effectiveness of the National Press Trust (NPT) following the privatisation of its newspapers. Committee Chairman Senator Sarmad Ali directed that a detailed report on the Trust’s property and funds be presented at the next meeting.

The panel considered legislative and policy matters. Senators Abdul Shakoor Khan, Syed Waqar Mehdi, Pervaiz Rashid, Jan Muhammad, and Muhammad Abdul Qadir attended the meeting.

The committee also discussed amendments to the NPT Trust deed and agreed to consult the Ministry of Law to ensure the proposed changes address current needs and support the welfare of media workers.

The committee reviewed the allocation of government advertisements, with Senator Sarmad Ali proposing that state advertisements be given only to media organisations registered with the Employees’ Old-Age Benefits Institution (EOBI). An EOBI briefing has been scheduled for the next meeting.

It also voted on and passed the Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2025, introduced by Senator Muhammad Abdul Qadir. The bill seeks to include parliamentarians on the corporation’s board. It was voted in favour by all members present with the exception of Senator Pervaiz Rashid.

The committee further discussed financial support for mainstream media to counter fake news, the revival of health insurance and possible life insurance schemes for journalists and media workers. It also planned a visit to Karachi to inspect the National Press Trust (NPT), Pakistan Television (PTV) and Radio Pakistan premises.