The National Assembly Standing Committee on Information, Broadcasting & National Heritage on Friday asked the Ministry of IB&NH to prepare a special presentation for the next meeting that would highlight their plans to fight terrorism and extremism during the next fiscal year’s Public Sector Development Programme.
The meeting of the committee, chaired by Marvi Memon, while approving the proposals for the next PSDP projects, called for early completion of ongoing projects.
The committee said that under the current scenario there should be special focus on the changing mindset of the people through media. The official media has to come forward and devised a strategy in this connection, she added.
“If you want to win the war against terrorists and extremists, some important projects to counter their narrative will have to be included in next PSDP,” Marvi said.
IB&NH Secretary Muhammad Azam Khan said that the ministry was playing its role in promoting a national anti-terrorism narrative through software and programming and it gave its input to two committees headed by ministers for the Information and Interior recently.
Marvi said that additional funds can be allocated for government-run media for its plans to counter the extremist mindset, but a creative presentation should be prepared for that purpose.
The committee on the suggestion of MD PTV recommended that a full-fledged Pushto channel should by launched by PTV due to the importance of the language in the current scenario.
Earlier, the committee was given a detailed presentation on the budgetary proposals related to the PSDP for financial year 2015-16.The committee was given a review of the PSDP 20114-15 and its proposals for the next fiscal year’s development projects.
The secretary information informed the committee that PTV and Radio Pakistan were setting up several new rebroadcast stations across the country, especially in far-flung areas to increase their outreach. He said that a delay in the release of funds and security issues were behind carry forwards from the previous year’s projects funds. He said that 47 new FM radio stations were being set up to cover the areas, which were not covered by radio signals.
Naeema Kishwer said that FATA was a very important area since there was a new focus on the war against terrorism and it was the need of the hour to counter private illegal radio channels, and it is important to increase outreach in the FATA and Balochistan.
