Pakistan PM criticised for 2-fold hike in state tv licence charge

Islamabad: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led executive's resolution of a more than two-fold increase in the state-run television's month-to-month licence price has now not long gone neatly with the public and that they have strongly objected to it, asserting it is an unjust and unfair act by the executive.

currently, the entire quantity collected through a licence fee of Rs35 per connection is round Rs10 billion (Dh219.269 million). as soon as the brand new tariff comes into effect, this figure will attain Rs22 billion (Dh482.392 million).

closing Friday, the federal executive acquired the approval of the cabinet participants to elevate the monthly licence price from Rs35 to Rs100.

mockingly, best Minister Imran Khan himself had been incredibly important of even the Rs35 licence charge accrued beneath the erstwhile Nawaz Sharif executive. Imran had, in reality, termed it as "robbery". 
Outraged via the "arbitrary" enhance in fees with the aid of the government, netizens have expressed their disapproval on social media.

Imran's volte-face

Shama Junejo expressed her anger by using posting a combo of video clips on her twitter handle that showed Imran's speeches during the 2014 take a seat-in, when he harshly criticised the then govt of top minister Nawaz Sharif for amassing a monthly licence fee of Rs35.

in the video clips, Imran may also be viewed telling the members at the take a seat-in that the [Nawaz Sharif] executive became committing a robbery through gathering around Rs10 billion through electrical energy expenses. "A nation that has the attention and moral sense can not accept this," Khan had extra observed.

He had shamed the PTV managing director and asked where did the money go that had been gathered from the poor via utility expenses? He had even threatened to take the be counted to court docket.

In her put up, Junejo asks Imran: "Now, you reply where [is] this amount after greater than two-time increase is going." (https://twitter.com/ShamaJunejo/reputation/1284800650690400257)

special assistant justifies executive move

special Assistant to major Minister on Political communication, Dr Shahbaz Gill, whereas responding to a question involving the U-turn via Imran on the PTV licence payment hike subject, spoke of the prime minister had criticised the previous executive for no longer disclosing the place the funds went, but this executive will make sure that the money is spent in a transparent manner to ensure the welfare of the employees and harbour skilled excellence on the state-run television channel. besides, he referred to, presently four,600 employees had been working with PTV, whereas 3,500 had been pensioners.

in the past, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz executive had employed seven hundred new laborers and the Pakistan individuals's party had employed 1,300 devoid of because no matter if it might burden the countrywide exchequer. in order to pay their salaries and pensions, too, we had to enhance the licence price, he reasoned.