The Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (PBC) has been directed to pay all outstanding employee dues by 20 Ramadan.
A Senate committee also proposed on Friday that car owners be charged up to Rs. 5,000 for a Radio Pakistan subscription since the national broadcaster is in financial trouble.
A subcommittee of the Senate Standing Committee on Information received a thorough briefing on the PBC’s financial situation and was worried over the non-payment of pensions and salaries to personnel.
Senator Irfan Siddiqui, the subcommittee’s convener, has requested that PBC’s management set a timeline for releasing overdue pensions and wages of Radio Pakistan staff.
Radio Pakistan Director General (DG) Tahir Hassan informed the subcommittee that two months’ overdue pensions and salaries will be settled before Eid.
The committee was briefed about Radio Pakistan’s financial difficulties, including a drop in revenue of around Rs. 2.2 billion. Authorities also requested senators to assist them in getting a one-time bailout payment of Rs. 1 billion to cover May and June expenses.
Other alternatives for the department’s financial recovery include charging car owners up to Rs. 5,000 as radio subscriptions at the time of their registration and submission of the token fee.
Senator Siddiqui directed personnel to develop a financial recovery plan and deliver it to the Senate standing committee after receiving clearance from the Radio Pakistan Board.
