PBC proposes Rs4,000 radio tax on registration of new vehicles

JournalismPakistan.com | Published 10 years ago

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (PBC) has proposed the government to levy radio tax of Rs4,000 on registration of new vehicles in the 2015-16 budget to steer it clear of financial crisis.

PBC Director General Imran Gardezi disclosed this during a Public Accounts Committee meeting at the Parliament House. He said that his organization has also suggested imposing a minimal radio tax on purchase of new mobile phones.

He said the corporation was under financial burden of billions of rupees as it has no money to pay even to its pensioners. “We need one billion rupees to clear dues of our pensioners,” he said.

The DG said the corporation could be steered out of the financial crisis only if it is run on a public-private partnership.

Meanwhile, audit officials informed the committee members that management of Pakistan Television gave out bonuses of Rs140 million to its employees in 2008-10 and in the same period the organization suffered a loss of Rs1.2 billion.

Managing Director PTV Mohammad Malick said monthly salary and perks of nine officers of the organization were increased manifold in the same period without getting any prior approval of Ministry of Finance.