The proposal, which was originally floated exactly three years ago, was brought to the fore again as a solution to all economic ills of the state-run radio during a meeting of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) held here on Wednesday.
The PBC suggested to the Ministry of Finance to levy a cess of Rs4,000 on the registration of new cars from the next financial year, said PBC Director General Imran Gardezi.
The corporation is also seeking imposition of cess on the use of mobile phones. His rationale was that radio is a facility provided to those who possess a high-quality phone and in cars, thus, their users must pay charges for utilising the facility.
The PBC has estimated receiving over Rs500 million annually, if the federal government endorses the proposal, he added.
The federal auditors had pointed to the deteriorating financial condition of the state-run radio, prompting the government to give grant-in-aid to finance its operations, which stood at Rs3.7 billion for the current fiscal year.
The PBC DG said that the management was seeking over Rs11 billion from the Ministry of Finance to pay pensions. According to Gardezi, the ministry did not respond to the proposal.
PAC members blamed low-quality news and production for the current state of affairs of the PBC. It has sought a detailed presentation on the PBC’s financial affairs before it comes up with recommendations for the government.
Pakistan Television (PTV) Managing Director Mohammad Malick said tight editorial control of the government over radio and PTV should be blamed for the low-quality news and production. These sources of information should serve the state instead of the government, he argued.
PAC members urged both PTV and PBC managements to put in place better marketing strategies as private radio stations and news channels were earning profits.
A lenient PAC
On the issue of Rs159 million fake advertisement bills that were allegedly submitted by the former principal information officer (PIO), Rashid Ahmed, in the second year of the PPP government, PAC did not take any action against the officials involved in the scam.
It threw the responsibility to the National Accountability Bureau – the top anti-corruption watchdog that also could not take action despite a lapse of four years.
Officials of the Accountant General of Pakistan Revenue (AGPR) informed PAC that two separate fake advertisement bills were submitted by the Press Information Department. The AGPR foiled this move and lodged an FIR on October 3, 2010. The bills were submitted through Simm (Pvt) Ltd, said the AGPR officials.
Rashid retired from civil service and was appointed later as the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) chairman by the PPP government. However, the current government removed him from the post.
The accountability court is yet to give a verdict in this case and one of the accused, Ali Nawaz Malik, who appeared in the past before NAB, was still in service.
A NAB representative told PAC that investigation is in final stages and statements of the accused have been recorded.
In yet another case, PAC conditionally settled Rs9.6 million audit objections against the irregular award of work by the Archaeology Department during the PPP’s tenure. The contract was awarded in violation of the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) rules, the director general of works audit told PAC.
PAC Chairman Syed Khursheed Shah is a stalwart of the PPP and has been settling irregularities in violation of rules and laws for the last many months. The members of PAC, belonging to other parties, mostly remain quiet.
