Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (PBC)
The Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (PBC), headquartered in Islamabad, serves as the country’s primary public service broadcaster. It began operations in 1947 under the name Radio Pakistan, shortly after the nation’s independence, and was formally reconstituted as the Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation in 1972.
Media assets
Radio: News & Current Affairs Channel 24/7, FM 101, FM 93, Dhanak FM 94
State Media Matrix Typology
Ownership and governance
PBC was established under the Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation Act of 1973 as a limited liability entity, wholly owned by the federal government. It operates under the administrative control of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
Governance is vested in the PBC Board, which is entirely comprised of government-appointed members. In the past, the board included 11 members. A Presidential Ordinance in 2024, further supported by the Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (Amendment) Bill 2024, expanded the PBC Board to 18 members. The new composition includes eleven independent directors, largely from the private sector, and seven ex-officio members. These ex-officio members include: The Secretary of the Ministry of Information, Broadcasting & National Heritage; an additional Foreign Secretary; an additional Secretary Finance, the Director General of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), which is the official media and public relations wing of the Pakistan Armed Forces, the managing Director of the Pakistan Television Corporation (PTV), the Director General of PBC, and a representative of the Interior Division.
As per the updated law, the appointment of the Director General (DG) of PBC is now handled by the federal government, based on the board’s recommendation, making the board more influential in PBC governance than before. The current Director General, Saeed Ahmed Shaikh has been serving in this role as of August 2024.
In June 2024, the Ministry submitted a proposal to designate PBC as a “strategic state-owned enterprise.” The proposal included a clause enabling future privatization, raising concerns among public interest advocates and employees alike regarding editorial independence and access to non-commercial broadcasting.
In June–July 2025, the Cabinet Committee on State‑Owned Enterprises (CCoSOEs), under the Ministry of Finance, approved the appointment of six independent directors to the PBC Board. These include Sadia Khan, Jehangir Khan, Sadiqa Sultan, Nasira Azim Khan, Khan Bibi, and Nadeem Haider Kiyani. These appointments signal a modest shift towards diversifying governance beyond traditional government representatives.
Source of funding and budget
Historically, PBC has relied almost entirely on federal subsidies to sustain its operations. In 2018, its budget stood at PKR 5.5 billion (approximately US$34.5 million), with over 94% of funding derived from government grants and the remainder from commercial advertising. However, persistent fiscal challenges led to sweeping layoffs in 2020, affecting hundreds of employees.
To ensure a more sustainable funding model, a license fee mechanism was introduced in July 2023. This fee is embedded in the national electricity bill, mandating a monthly contribution of PKR 50 (approx. US$0.17) from households, of which PKR 15 is earmarked for radio operations.
For the fiscal year 2022–2023, PBC received a separate allocation of PKR 562.8 million (approx. US$2.34 million) for special projects. Despite this, budgetary shortfalls continue to constrain modernization and expansion efforts, particularly in regional outreach and digital transformation.
In FY 2025, PBC was allocated a total of PKR 6.413 billion, of which PKR 6.183 billion had been disbursed as of March 2025. Simultaneously, PBC’s financial performance during the first semester of FY 2025 showed persistent shortfalls in revenue generation—particularly in advertising and leasing revenues—despite new commercial strategies. Receivables and cash collections remain well below targets, putting significant pressure on PBC’s financial health.
Editorial independence
PBC has long operated under significant state influence, with its editorial line closely aligned with government positions and subject to de facto censorship, particularly in areas deemed sensitive by the military or civilian authorities.
Although the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government initially pledged reforms to enhance freedom of expression following the 2018 general elections—including relaxing editorial oversight at public broadcasters—these efforts were short-lived. Media freedom advocates report that state interference has intensified in subsequent years, coinciding with a general backslide in press freedom indicators across the country.
No legal safeguards or independent regulatory frameworks are currently in place to guarantee the editorial autonomy of PBC. Nor does any domestic law mandate independent audits or public accountability mechanisms to assess its compliance with public service media standards.
July 2025