PTV asked to cover opposition members speeches too
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ISLAMABAD: (APP) Minister for Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage Pervaiz Rashid on Wednesday said Pakistan Television has been directed to give proper coverage to proceedings of the Parliament.
"PTV is a state run television and it is its responsibility to give proper coverage to elected representatives of the people," he said speaking in a private news channel program.
The minister regretted the incident of missing some comments of the opposition members by PTV and said, the state television has been directed to prepare a complete package of the Wednesday's proceedings and telecast for the information of viewers.
"PTV should have not done what had happened. As soon as the matter was brought to my notice, I myself and Secretary Information asked the PTV officials about the situation, who informed that some portion of Shah Mahmood Qureshi's speech was also telecast. But, we directed them that whole of his speech should have been telecast," the minister said.
He said there had been standing instructions for PTV to telecast important debates and discussions in the Parliament and provide free of charge feed to private news channels. "Now, again we have directed PTV to follow this policy because PTV is a national channel and is required to cover both the government and the opposition benches."
"I have also asked PTV that the portion of Opposition Leader Khursheed Shah's speech in response to Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, should have also been covered."
The minister said, over the years the PTV had adopted a policy of selected coverage but during the present government, it has been directed to communicate the view point of both the treasury and the opposition benches.
"We shall ensure that such a situation is not repeated in the future and Parliamentary proceedings are properly conveyed to the viewers," he added.
Pervaiz Rashid said that the government believes in openness and not in hiding the information. "Therefore, as a national television, it is responsibility of PTV that when elected representatives of people speak in the Parliament their view point is properly communicated to them."
He assured that in future PTV would ensure to cover all important debates and discussions in the Parliament across the divide, for the benefit of its viewers.
