JournalismPakistan.com | Published March 16, 2016
Join our WhatsApp channel
ISLAMABAD: Minister for Information and Broadcasting Pervaiz Rashid Wednesday informed the National Assembly about their efforts to explore options to unfreeze accounts of BOL TV to pay staff salaries.
During the question hour, Rashid said his ministry has sent two letters to the Ministry of Law, Justice and Human Rights, asking if FIA could request the sessions court, Karachi, to “de-freeze bank Accounts of Directors AXACT and allow transfer of funds of Rs17.44 million to the bank accounts of BOL TV Network with specific directions to use such money only for payment of outstanding salary arrears to the Employees of BOL TV Network.” However the response of the law ministry is still awaited. One letter was sent on February 10 and the other on March 10 this year.
The minister was replying to a question by Naeema Kishwar Khan of JUI-F who asked if BOL TV was closed. Further, she asked about the number of BOL TV employees who had become jobless and the number of those whose salaries have been stopped.
On the question of closing the TV channel, the minister informed the house that PEMRA in a September 2015 meeting “unanimously decided to suspend both the licenses of M/s Labbaik (Pvt.) Limited namely BOL News and BOL Entertainment till completion of all legal and codal requirements i.e. Security Clearance from Ministry of Interior.”
About the number of employees who have become jobless, the minister maintained PEMRA did not collect this information as it was “beyond their mandate and jurisdiction”. However he added the Ministry of Information wrote a letter to the channel’s management on March 14 “requesting it to provide this information on priority basis in order to address the question asked by the Hon’able MNA.”
Citing the Islamabad High Court petition of Rawalpindi Islamabad Union of Journalists for the restoration of salaries of BOL employees, the RIUJ and the Ministry of Information have held two meetings. In the second meeting, it was decided the RIUJ would provide “all relevant documents which may include the appointment letters of said employees indicating their salary emoluments etc., and tabulated working of their claims of salary and salary arrears for the impugned period.”
On the information provided by RIUJ, “the ministry is to give its findings/ decision…after a thorough consultative process with the other respondents” which include the interior secretary, chairman PEMRA and if needed the Ministry of Law.
The minister’s reply included the letter to the CEO of BOL TV.
Related posts from JournalismPakistan.com Archives:
BOL workers warn of staging sit-in outside Parliament House
BOL workers to resume protests
PEMRA in bid to settle BOL staff salary issue
April 11, 2025: Sindhi journalist AD Shar was brutally murdered in Khairpur, Sindh. His body was found dumped on Handiyari Link Road. PFUJ has declared a three-day mourning period and demanded justice.
April 10, 2025: The Azad Jammu and Kashmir government has filed a case against The Daily Jammu & Kashmir and its staff for alleged fake news, drawing condemnation from PFUJ and IFJ, who demand immediate withdrawal of the FIR and an end to media repression in Pakistan.
April 08, 2025: Journalist Arzoo Kazmi alleges that Pakistan's state agencies, including the FIA, have blocked her CNIC, passport, and bank account while threatening her. She calls it a direct attack on journalism.
April 07, 2025: The Islamabad High Court has directed IG Islamabad to produce journalist Ahmad Noorani’s missing brothers, as the Ministry of Defence denies custody. SIM activity was traced in Bahawalpur, and investigations into their suspected abduction continue.
April 07, 2025: Journalist and Raftar founder Farhan Mallick has been granted bail by a Karachi court in a case concerning anti-state content aired on his YouTube channel. He still faces separate charges related to an alleged illegal call center and data theft.
April 03, 2025: Veteran journalist Ghulam Abbas Shah has joined Discover Pakistan Television as the Head of Programming. With 25 years of experience in leading news organizations, he looks forward to contributing to quality storytelling and content.
April 02, 2025: The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) has strongly condemned the visit of a group of Pakistani journalists to Israel, calling it a violation of journalistic ethics and a betrayal of press freedom and human rights. PFUJ demands a transparent investigation into the matter.
March 30, 2025: Dawn criticizes Pakistan’s plan to use TV dramas against extremism, highlighting financial and digital challenges. Can media alone solve deep-rooted issues?
April 03, 2025 The International Press Institute (IPI) and International Media Support (IMS) invite nominations for the 2025 World Press Freedom Hero and Free Media Pioneer Awards. Recognizing courageous journalists and innovative media, the awards will be presented at IPI’s 75th-anniversary World Congress in Vienna. Submit your nominations by April 30, 2025.
April 01, 2025 Photojournalist Suresh Rajak was burned alive while covering a violent protest in Kathmandu. The IFJ and its affiliates condemn the attack and call for an urgent investigation to hold the perpetrators accountable.
April 01, 2025 Assam Police arrested digital journalist Dilwar Hussain Mozumder for covering a protest against alleged corruption at Assam Co-Operative Bank. Media organizations have condemned the arrest, calling it an attack on press freedom.
March 29, 2025 A federal judge has blocked the Trump administration’s attempt to dismantle Voice of America (VOA), ruling that the move likely violated legal procedures. The decision protects over 1,200 journalists and media staff.
March 28, 2025 Turkey deports BBC journalist Mark Lowen over 'public order' threat and fines opposition TV channels covering Istanbul Mayor's arrest. Critics condemn crackdown on press freedom amid rising political tensions.