1 (253rd Session) SENATE SECRETARIAT ————— “QUESTIONS FOR ORAL ANSWERS AND THEIR REPLIES” to be asked at a sitting of the Senate to be held on Tuesday, the 4th October, 2016 DEFERRED QUESTIONS [Questions Nos. 142, 94, 97, 100, 103, 105, 114, 115-A, 117-B, 120-A, 120-C, 120- F, 120-G and 120-H deferred on 9th September, 2016, (252nd Session)] (Def.) *Question No. 142 Senator Farhatullah Babar: (Notice received on 23-06-2016 at 02:06 p.m.) Will the Minister for Interior and Narcotics Control be pleased to state: (a) whether the Indian Government has provided the Government of Pakistan with Pakistani mobile numbers as part of evidence in support of allegations of involvement of Pakistani individuals in the recent attack on Pathankot airbase in India, if so, the date on which the same were given and steps taken by the Government to probe the matter so far; and (b) the details of other information provided by the Indian Government as evidence in support of the said allegations? Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan: (a) The Indian Government had provided 05 mobile phone numbers of Pakistani telecom companies to the Govt. of Pakistan. These numbers have been mentioned in the FIR NO. 06/2016 dated 18-02-2016 lodged in Police Station CTD, Gujranwala. It was alleged that the accused had made telephone calls from India on these numbers. A JIT (Joint Investigation Team), formulated by the Government, has been investigating the case. The investigation has not been finalized, as yet. 2 (b) The Indian Government also provided some documents with the request for cooperation in investigation. These documents contained some information regarding the offence, including technical data about the offence. The JIT also visited India in March 2016 to collect evidence. The case is still under investigation. (Def.) *Question No. 94 Senator Col. (R) Syed Tahir Hussain Mashhadi: (Notice received on 29-06-2016 at 09:10 a.m.) Will the Minister for Interior and Narcotics Control be pleased to state whether it is a fact that China cutting has been made on the land of Rawal Dam, Islamabad, if so, the steps being taken by the Government in this regard? Reply Not received: The Ministry of Interior and Narcotics Control has transferred this question to the Capital Administration and Development Division. However, the Capital Administration and Development Division has not accepted the question so far. (Def.) *Question No. 97 Senator Muhammad Talha Mahmood: (Notice received on 14-07-2016 at 08:40 a.m.) Will the Minister for Information and Broadcasting pleased to state: (a) the profit earned by Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation during the last three years with year wise break up; and (b) the steps being taken by the Government to improve the financial position of the said Corporation? Mr. Pervaiz Rashid: (a) The Corporation (PBC) is a statutory Public Service Corporation established under PBC Act-1973. It is not a cpmmercial undertaking. The Federal Government provides Grant in Aid to meet its day to day expenditure and PSDP for development projects. Its aim is to provide Broadcast Secvices for the Purpose of disseminating information, education, entertainment and to promote National Unity and Justice to upgrade the social behavior of public as enunciated in PBC Act-1973. However the profit (Surplus)/ (Deficit) of PBC for the last three years is as under:— 3 Amount in Million —————————————————————————————— Year Surplus / (Deficit) —————————————————————————————— 2012-13 (80.069) 2013-14 314.448 2014-15 (6,158.604) * —————————————————————————————— (b) The steps taken by the Corporation to improve its finahcial poition are as under: 1. PBC has given market rights of FM 101 Network to M/s Loud & Clear to enhance the net advertisement income of over 125.982 million at least 50% increase in exiting net income at 30% commission based upon business and recovery report of deposit amounts. (Annex-A) 2. Air time to Voice of America (VOA) one hour and China Radio International (CRI) two hours has been sold to fetch revenue of over 54.00 million per annum. 3. The Corporation has rent out 9 floors of PBC building of BR Karachi situated at Hassan Esquire Karachi to M/s Intellectual Property Organization (IPO Pakistan) at a rent of Rs.9.742 million per annum for a period of three years with 10% increase every year. 4. The Corporation has signed an agreement with M/s Bramerz (Pvt.) Ltd. Lahore. The company is engaged in the business of digital media communication offering services of website designing, development, maintenance, registration and hosting etc. According to this agreement all the web site properties of PBC will be marketed by the company through Google AdSence monetization. It is expected that a handsome amount will be earned by the PBC through this agreement. 5. On the advice of PAC the case has been taken up with the M/o IB&NH for levy of one time Broadcast Cess @ Rs. 5000 per unit on the sale of all categories of imported/local manufactured vehicles, which are equipped with Radio Receivers with the request to incorporate proposal in the Finance bill 2015-16 in order to improve the financial health of the Corporation. It was expected that this proposal will yield an amount of Rs. 1120 million per annum. But the request of PBC could not win the favour of the concerned quarters. The Corporation has again 4 requested the Finance Division through M/o IB&NH to incorporate the proposal in Finance bill 2016-17. PBC is trying its best to improve its financial position from sale of Air time. The commercial income of PBC has been increased from 192.613 million in 2012-13 to Rs. 332 028 million in 2013-14 and Rs. 325.658 million in 2014-15 due to concrete efforts of the Corporation with meager sales staff. Annexure-„A‟ MINISTER OF INFORMATION, BROADCASTING AND NATIONAL HERITAGE, ISLAMABAD. (PBC) The Corporation could not grab market share of advertisement as per its potential due to meager sales staff and resources. PBC therefore given exclusive marketing rights of FM 101 Network to M/s Loud & Clear for a period of one year w.e.f 01-01- 2014 to December 31, 2014 to enhance advertisement income by at least 50% of net income of Rs. 60.00 million for the year 2012-13 at 30% commission based upon business and recovery report of deposit amounts. The agreement has been extended up to 31-12-2016 on Non-exclusive basis (i.e Besides Loud & Clear, PBC can also procure advertisement itself through its FM 101 Network). The effect of this agreement on the financial health of the Corporation is tabulated below:— 5 (Def.) *Question No. 100 Senator Muhammad Talha Mahmood: (Notice received on 15-07-2016 at 09:00 a.m.) Will the Minister for Information and Broadcasting be pleased to state: (a) the profit earned by Pakistan Television Corporation during the last three years with year wise break up; and (b) the steps being taken by the Government to improve the financial position of the said Corporation? Mr. Pervaiz Rashid: (a) No Profit earned by Pakistan Television Corporation during the last three years. The main reason for not earning profit is Actuarial valuation entries which are incorporated on the recommendation of Statuary Auditors and Board of Director. These entries relates to retiring staff pension benefits. (b) Under the guidance of the present management following steps have been taken:— (i) Enhancing of in-house productions, (ii) Telecast of special Ramadan transmission. (iii) Reduction in TV FEE commission from Rs. 5 to Rs. 1 per month. (iv) Change in Marketing strategy to enhance revenue from PTV Multan, PTV-Global, PTV-News and PTV world. (Def.) *Question No. 103 Senator Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Salahuddin Tirmizi: (Notice received on 28-07-2016 at 07:00 p.m.) Will the Minister for Interior and Narcotics Control be pleased to state: (a) whether it is a fact that UAE authorities have adopted a stringent policy / procedure for grant of visas to holders of Pakistani officials passports, if so, the reasons thereof; and 6 (b) whether the Government has taken up the matter with the said authorities to ease the situation, if so, the details thereof? Reply Not received: The Ministry of Interior and Narcotics Control has transferred this question to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. However, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not accepted the question so far. (Def.) *Question No. 105 Senator Sirajul Haq: (Notice received on 01-08-2016 at 10:00 a.m.) Will the Minister for Defence be pleased to state: (a) whether it is a fact that the residential plots and agriculture land is allotted to the heirs of soldiers who get martyred during war; (b) whether it is also a fact that the heirs of soldiers who martyred during 1971 war were allotted plots and agriculture land; and (c) whether it is further a fact that some cases for allotment of plots and agriculture land to the heirs of said martyrs are still lying pending in GHQ, if so, its reasons and the time by which the same would be allotted to them? Khawaja Muhammad Asif: The information/date regarding above mentioned question is being collected from concerned quarters and will be provided on receipt. It is, therefore, requested to defer the question, please. (Def.) *Question No. 115-A Senator Chaudhary Tanvir Khan: (Notice received on 08-08-2016 at 09:30 a.m.) Will the Minister for Information and Broadcasting be pleased to state: (a) the make, model, engine power and present status of official vehicles being used by the officers / officials of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, its attached departments and subordinate offices indicating also the names and grades of the officers / officials being used the same; 7 (b) the expenditure being incurred on fuel, repair and maintenance of the said vehicles on annual basis; and (c) the number of non-functional vehicles at the disposal of the said Ministry, departments and offices indicating also the time since which the same are non-functional? Mr.