The Ministry of Information on Wednesday withdrew its plans to shift the Islamabad headquarters of the Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (PBC) and give out its existing premises on a long-term lease, DawnNewsTV reported.
A letter sent by the Information Ministry to the PBC director general announcing the plans to shift the corporation's headquarters was withdrawn after Radio Pakistan staffers protested against the proposed move and their representatives held talks with Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry.
According to DawnNewsTV, the minister during the negotiations agreed to withdraw the letter regarding the proposal, and asked PBC employees to provide their recommendations within a month as to how Radio Pakistan's revenue could be raised.
The letter from the Ministry of Information, signed by director of the minister’s office Danyal Gilani, was received by Radio Pakistan last week.
The letter to the PBC DG had said that the minister for information and broadcasting had directed for a proposal to be prepared to lease the Radio Pakistan headquarters on a long-term basis and move PBC Headquarters to the PBC Academy in H-9.
Chaudhry had supported the proposal at a press conference and asked why Radio Pakistan needed a large building when FM radio stations could be run out of small houses.
The Radio Pakistan building is located in the Red Zone, a stone’s throw from the Prime Minister’s Office.
A notification issued by the PBC today said: "This section's letter of even number dated 19.09.2018 on the [shifting of Radio Pakistan headquarters], may please be treated as withdrawn."