National

Govt committed to make PTV a profitable media organization: Attaullah Tarar

ISLAMABAD, Sep 11 (SABAH): Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar Advocate said efforts are being made to revamp Pakistan Television to make it a vibrant media organization.

Responding to a question during Question Hour in the National Assembly on Wednesday, Attaullah Tarar said anchors from the private sector are being hired to ensure sufficient space for the opposition. He said the government is committed to make PTV a profitable media organization.

He said the policy of minimum wages of 37,000 rupees has been implemented and a case has been moved to the Board of Directors of PTV for formal approval for the enforcement of minimum wages.

Replying to another question regarding the fire incident in Weekly Bazar H-9, the Minister for Information and Broadcasting said the fire erupted on 10th July this year, burning 625 stalls. He said due to that incident the financial loss reached up to around 280 million rupees as per stall holders.

Attaullah Tarar further said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in light of an inquiry report into the incident, directed the authorities concerned to develop a fire safety plan.

He said the Prime Minister has further instructed to conduct a comprehensive fire safety audit of all Mercantile Bazaars in the federal capital on the first week of every month as per Islamabad Fire Prevention and Life Safety Regulations 2010 and international best practices.

Answering a question regarding daily-wages staff working under Chaklala Cantonment Board, Rawalpindi, Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif said daily wages staff are contingent paid workers and they are engaged on purely daily wages basis and there are no sanction vacant posts against such daily wages. Hence, it is not possible to regularize their services.

To a question, Minister of State for Information Technology Shaza Fatima Khawaja said the Capital Development Authority has launched three projects worth over 873 million rupees to elevate the infrastructure of services in rural areas of Islamabad to urban standards.

She said these projects include Rehabilitation and improvement of Gokina and Mandiala road, Phulgrain Sakreela and Member road as well as Nai-Abadi and Huzaifa Town road.

Responding to a Calling Attention Notice, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar has stressed the need to change the mindset of not giving inheritance rights to women.

He said the government has done legislation to facilitate women in getting inheritance rights.

Attaullah Tarar said the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting is ready to launch an awareness campaign to highlighting the importance of giving inheritance rights to women as per the spirit of Islam.