Islamabad, the 3rd February, 2016:  28th meeting of the Standing Committee on Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage (I,B&NH) was held today at 11:00 a.m. in Committee Room No. 07, Parliament House, Islamabad. The meeting presided over by Pir Muhammad Aslam Bodla, MNA/Chairman of the Standing Committee.

The Standing Committee considered the private member Bill titled “The Protection of Journalists Bill, 2014”, Moved by Sahibzada Tariq Ullah, MNA. The Committee decided to appoint a Sub-Committee to consider the said matter and report within thirty days.

The Committee considered the matter of non-payment of salaries to the staff of Bol TV Channel proposed by Senator Mushahid Ullah Khan, the than Minister for Climate Change, in the National Assembly on 10-08-2015. The Committee after detailed deliberation decided to invite Ministry of Interior and Narcotics Control to brief the Committee about the issue.

The Committee referred the Calling Attention Notice moved by Mir. Aijaz Hussain Jakhrani, MNA regarding discontinuation of pension to the retired employees of Lok Virsa to the Sub-Committee for its resolution.

The Standing Committee postponed the agenda item on Budgetary proposals of the Ministry of Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage relating to Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) 2016-17 for the next meeting.

Mr. Muhammad Tallal Chaudhry, Mian Muhamamd Farooq, Ms. Ghulam Bibi Bharwana, Mr. Waseem Akhtar Shaikh, Ms. Marriyum Aurganzeb, Ms. Arifa Khalid Parvez, Malik Muhammad Aamir Dogar, Mr. Murad Saeed, Mr. Tahir Iqbal Ch, Mr. Imran Zafar Leghari, Ms. Naeema Kishwer Khan, Ms. Belum Hasnain, Malik Shakir Bashir Awan, and Dr. Muhammad Azhar Khan Jadoon, MNAs attended the meeting. Senator Mushahid Ullah Khan and Sahibzada Tariq Ullah, MNA attended the meeting as special invitee. The meeting was also attended by senior officers of M/o I, B&NH, and its attached Departments.