Sporting events: Cabinet allows PTV to make payments to Indian broadcasters

ISLAMABAD: The caretaker cabinet has allowed the Pakistan Television Corporation (PTVC) to make payments to Indian broadcasters for sporting events in relaxation of a ban imposed in 2019, well-informed sources told Business Recorder.

Sharing the details, sources said, this case was presented before the Federal Cabinet through a supplementary summary under Rule 19 of the Rules of Business, 1973.

The Cabinet Division briefed the Federal Cabinet that the summary had been submitted by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, seeking approval of the Cabinet to make accrued and future payments to Indian broadcasters in relaxation of a ban it had imposed in 2019.

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The summary had been circulated among the Cabinet members in terms of Rule 17(1)(b) read with Rule 19(1) of the Rules of Business, 1973, for recording their opinion(s) and subsequent return to the Cabinet Division; and that nine out of 17 federal ministers had endorsed the proposal of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, whereas, replies from eight ministers were awaited.

It was further informed that one minister had agreed with the proposal of the sponsoring Division to the extent only of payments due to broadcasters, but had not agreed to the proposal to allow PTVC to make payments to the broadcasters for any future transactions.

The Cabinet Division further informed that the summary was subsequently submitted to the caretaker prime minister, who had directed that a supplementary summary be submitted to the Federal Cabinet, in terms of Rule 19(3) of Rules of Business, 1973.

Accordingly, the supplementary summary was placed before the Cabinet with reference to the proposals of the summary and observations raised by a cabinet member for consideration and appropriate orders.

In response to the observation raised, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting explained that sports telecasts could only made after buying the rights from the Indian broadcasters, who had the rights for broadcasting many major sporting events, and that the major revenue earner for PTV was its cricket telecast.

The Cabinet considered the supplementary summary titled, “NOC/permission to make payments to Indian Broadcasters by PTVC”, submitted by the Cabinet Division and approved the proposals of the summary submitted by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, with the stipulations that the permission being granted is limited to sporting events only, and that the foreign exchange required will be sanctioned by the Finance Division/ State Bank of Pakistan on a case-to-case basis in line with the existing practice.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024