Government drops plan to lease out Radio Pakistan building for now

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 26 September 2018

The government has dropped its plans to lease out the Radio Pakistan headquarters due to employee protests. An agreement was reached with staff members to maintain the current location.

Summary

ISLAMABAD – The government on Wednesday withdrew its plan to lease out the Radio Pakistan Headquarter building after protests by employees.

Ali Muhammad Khan, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs announced that the government had reached an agreement with the staff members and that the plan to give the building on a long-term lease dropped for the time being.

Last week, the Federal Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry had directed the director general of Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (PBC) to prepare a proposal to lease out the building.

The plan was to shift the headquarters to the Pakistan Broadcasting Academy in H-9.

The radio employees saw the plan as absurd. They pointed out that the H-9 academy did not have space to accommodate the entire headquarter staff and broadcasting equipment.

KEY POINTS:

• Government withdrew plan to lease Radio Pakistan building after protests.
• Agreement reached between government and staff members.
• Federal Information Minister had previously directed lease proposal.
• New location planned was Pakistan Broadcasting Academy in H-9.
• Employees deemed the lease plan as unfeasible due to space issues.