F.P. Report
ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Information, Broadcasting, and Parliamentary Affairs Murtaza Solangi on Tuesday assured the Senate that the government would follow House recommendations regarding the salaries and allowances of government employees, including Balochistan.
In response to questions during the question hour regarding the less representation of officers from Balochistan at the federal level, the minister asked the lawmakers to formulate a policy and make recommendations if there was any perceived injustice.
Responding to questions from Senators Fauzia Arshad, Mohsin Aziz, and Danesh Kumar, he welcomed the suggestions from Senate members regarding the use of zig-zag technology in rural areas for making bricks. He acknowledged that zigzag technology was effective in reducing emissions of pollutants and increasing efficiency, though it was still expensive.
Senator Irfan Siddiqui’s question about the non-allotment of plots to retired employees, the minister assured that he would inform the House after obtaining information from the department. If the chair deemed it appropriate, the matter could be referred to the privilege committee, he added.
In response to Senator Mushtaq Ahmed’s question, the caretaker federal minister said that the issue of F14, F15, and Bhara Kahu sectors should be sent to the relevant standing committee. Chairman Senate Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani referred the matter to the concerned committee for further investigation. The minister said that currently, no caretaker minister was using bulletproof vehicles. He said that all details regarding the use of bulletproof vehicles by ministers and advisors during the previous government had been shared with the House.
Murtaza Solangi said that Senators have the right to criticize the decisions and policies made by the previous government regarding the provision of bulletproof vehicles to ministers and advisors.
Caretaker Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Murtaza Solangi also said the government would explore maximum options to redress the problems of journalist fraternity, and seek legal action, in accordance with the Constitution, to restrict forced job layoffs of media persons.
Talking to the media after the walkout of journalits during the 334th session of the Senate in the press gallery, he expressed full solidarity with the journalist community regarding the forced dismissal by some media houses. Solangi said the legal provisions would be explored to take punitive action and extend support to safeguard the rights of media workers.
“I stand with journalists and media workers; the issue of forced dismissals of journalists is not acceptable,” he said. He said he had an earlier discussion with the Chairman of Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) regarding the forced dismissal of journalists and media workers. He said the meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting would be held on Friday afternoon, adding :”This issue will also be discussed with Chairperson of the Standing Committee, Senator Fauzia Arshad.”
Murtaza Solangi said the interim government would take all the steps under the law to effectively tackle issue. “Government’s sympathies are with media workers. It is our responsibility to implement the legal protection that media workers and journalists have in the Constitution,” he said. Workers’ forced dismissals from media houses inacceptable: Caretaker Federal Minister for Information, Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs Murtaza Solangi on Tuesday said that forced dismissals of workers from media houses were not acceptable.
It was the government’s responsibility to implement the legal protection provided to media workers and journalists under the law, Murtaza Solangi maintained while talking to journalists who had staged a walkout from the Press Gallery during the Senate session against forced dismissals by their respective media organizations. He said that he stood with journalists and media workers on this issue.
The minister said the issue was discussed with the Chairman Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority and Senate’s Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting is also scheduled to meet on Friday afternoon where it will also be discussed with the Chairperson of the panel. “We will take whatever steps are possible under the law,” Murtaza Solangi assured the media persons. He said that the sympathies of the government were with media workers.
