PBC proposes taxes to meet Rs4 billion annual deficit

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published May 14, 2015

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (PBC) has proposed electronic cess on registration of new vehicles or imported vehicles and purchase of new mobile phones to meet the Rs4 billion annual deficit.
 
Director General PBC Imran Gardezi informed the sub-committee of Public Accounts Committee Thursday that the proposal to levy Rs4,000 to Rs5,000 on registration of a vehicle was under consideration of the federal government.  
 
The committee headed by Rana Afzal Hussain examined the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting for the year 1996-97. The committee asked if Radio Pakistan has any business strategy to make itself profitable.
 
Gardezi said that the income of Radio Pakistan generated through advertisements has increased from Rs192 million to Rs332 million. Although Radio Pakistan generated Rs334m in 2013-14, its expenses had also been continuously increasing as a result government had to provide it with Rs3.7 billion as subsidy that year. He said the PBC paid Rs1 billion annually as pension to its retired employees.
 
He further informed the committee that the proposed business plan would not help cover losses of billions of rupees. The PBC might request the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to allow it to have a share in the TV licence fee of around Rs 10. Another proposal has been sent to Ministry of Information requesting them to allow levying from 0.5 to 1 percent radio cess on purchase of new mobile phones.

Freedom of expression shrinks in Pakistan as PECA Amendments take toll: report

 April 30, 2025:  Freedom of expression in Pakistan is under threat, as the 2025 Freedom Network report reveals increased arrests, censorship, and legal restrictions following amendments to PECA, posing serious risks to journalists and democratic values.

Dawn urges Indian media to abandon war rhetoric

 April 30, 2025:  Dawn has criticized the Indian media's calls for war and condemned the banning of 16 Pakistani YouTube channels, urging a rational response after the Pahalgam attack that left 26 dead.

India bans 16 Pakistani YouTube channels following Pahalgan attack

 April 28, 2025:  India has banned 16 Pakistani YouTube channels, including major news outlets and individual journalists, following the deadly Pahalgam attack. Tensions escalate as Islamabad demands a neutral probe.

Coordinated or coincidence? Identical tweets by Pakistani journalists raise eyebrows

 April 23, 2025:  Pakistani journalists respond in unison to a post hinting at a possible Indian military strike. Citing the 2019 ‘Swift Retort,’ they warn of a stronger response if provoked again.

Sher Afzal Marwat launches personal attacks on journalists after PTI expulsion

 April 21, 2025:  After being expelled from PTI, MNA Sher Afzal Marwat launches personal attacks on journalists and Aleema Khan, sparking outrage on social media over his offensive remarks.

Journalist Sanaullah Khan alleges FIA blocking accounts of YouTubers and families

 April 21, 2025:  Journalist Sanaullah Khan reveals that the FIA has launched a financial crackdown on YouTubers by freezing the bank accounts of journalists and their family members—raising serious concerns over freedom of expression and legal process.

A launch in style: Dr. Nauman Niaz unveils 'In A Different Realm'

 April 20, 2025:  Dr. Nauman Niaz launched his fifteenth book, In A Different Realm: Story of Quadruple and Triple Centuries 1876–2025, at an elegant Islamabad event, reflecting on cricket’s rarest feats and his journey as a scholar of the game.

Sindhi journalist AD Shar brutally murdered, PFUJ declares three-day mourning

 April 11, 2025:  Sindhi journalist AD Shar was brutally murdered in Khairpur, Sindh. His body was found dumped on Handiyari Link Road. PFUJ has declared a three-day mourning period and demanded justice.