The Information Ministry on Friday informed the Cabinet Committee on State-Owned Enterprises that it had slashed 1,232 of 5,442 sanctioned jobs at the Pakistan Television Corporation (PTV) in a bid to cut costs.
Chaired by Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, the meeting reviewed separate business plans submitted by the Information Ministry to address key operational challenges facing the PTV and the Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (PBC). The plans also outlined roadmaps for sustainable development, including organizational growth, financial sustainability and improved services and were prepared in compliance with the committee’s directions.
The plan submitted for the PTV focused on measures and interventions targeting digital expansion, content licensing, profitable marketing partnerships, public private partnerships, and utilization of properties to maximize operational efficiency and overall revenue potential.
The business plan for the PBC, meanwhile, primarily focused on measures aimed at ensuring income generation through improved program content, better signal quality, utilization of seven concrete spaces and six large tracts of open lands located in different cities. Additionally, it detailed the installation of ATM booths and advertising billboards at appropriate sites of Radio Pakistan. The Committee was informed the PBC would be able to break-even in two years after the execution of the proposed business plan.
After deliberating on both plans, the cabinet committee approved them. It emphasized the importance of achieving operational excellence and desired results through timely implementation. The committee also advised the Information Ministry to work through the administrative boards of both PBC and PTV to proactively unutilized spaces, assets and open lands. It advised selling them to the private sector instead of engaging in real estate activity at the cost of their core functions as state broadcasters.
Ministry of Industries
The committee also deliberated on the reconstitution of the Board of Directors for Karachi Tools, Dies, and Mould Centre (KTDMC) under the Industries and Production Ministry. The committee approved the appointment of five principal candidates from the private sector, along with ex-officio directors, for a term of three years, appointing Abdur Razaaq Gauhar as the chairman. The reconstitution aims to improve corporate governance and ensure effective decision-making for the entity.
Additionally, the committee approved the reconstitution of the Board of Directors of the Technology Upgradation and Skills Development Company (TUSDEC). It appointed six principal candidates from the private sector, along with ex-officio directors, for three years, designating Muhammad Noorud Din Daud as the chairman. The reconstitution aligns with the SOEs Ownership and Management Policy, 2023, focusing on enhancing operational efficiency and aligning the company’s goals with national priorities.