Radio Pakistan: Whether you listen to it or not, you must pay the fee!

• Information ministry prepares summary for Rs15 collection via power bills.
• Ministry of Finance informs a Senate committee about info ministry's plans.
• SBP Governor Ahmed says trying to increase remittance through official channels.  

ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has prepared a summary for the collection of a Rs15 radio licence fee through electricity bills, The News reported Friday.

The Ministry of Finance on Thursday informed the Senate Standing Committee on Finance and Revenues that the information ministry had prepared a summary for increasing TV/radio license fees from Rs35 to Rs50.

The Senate Standing Committee on Finance met on Thursday under Senator Saleem Mandviwalla at the Parliament House.

The committee’s chairman raised the issue of the swelling volume of hundi/hawala.

The committee remarked that annually $6 billion to $8 in remittances came through the hundi business, adding if the State Bank of Pakistan tightened measures for remittances, it would encourage a decrease in Hundi business.

The SBP Governor Jameel Ahmed said that remittances of $27 billion were sent in the last financial year, adding, “We are attempting to receive all remittances through the banking channel.”

However, the governor of SBP refused to share any exact volume of remittances coming through hundi/hawala. He stated that the remittances through banking channels would go up in the coming months of the current fiscal year.

He added that the remittances went down in the wake of inflationary pressures that prevailed in different Western countries and other parts.

The SBP governor said that Pakistan would become a part of a cross-border payment system in Gulf countries that would help boost remittances through official channels.