Islamabad-High-Court’sIslamabad High Court (IHC) has directed the federal government to nominate the Board of Governor (BoG) for the appointment of permanent Managing Director (MD) of Pakistan Television Corporation (PTVC).
A four-page judgement by Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani declared the appointment of MD Arshad Khan as null and void.
Last October, Khan was appointed as MD of PTVC through a BoG. This was later challenged in the IHC by All PTVC Employees and Workers Union (CBA) Secretary General Pervaiz Akhter Bhatti.
Justice Kayani noted that the information ministry should appoint the permanent MD within two months while adding that in the case of delay, the ministry and other concerned authorities would be liable for such sluggish.
Justice Kayani remarked, “It is expected from the federal government nominate and complete nomination of BoG within 60 days and for finalization of this recruitment while failing which secretary ministry of information and broadcasting and all other concerns would be responsible who are creating obstruction in the appointment of MD, PTVC and shall be dealt accordingly.”
He regretted, “Due to unavailability of the head for the last 18 months, several kinds of administrative issues in the PTVC (have occurred).”
The petitioner urged the court to immediately commence the process of new MD in accordance with the law. He added that the incumbent MD’s selection should be termed illegal as it was based on extraneous considerations.
The petition also prayed that the major decisions taken by the MD Arshad Khan with respect to the terms and conditions of the employees and overall working assets be declared unlawful on the grounds of being done beyond the scope of authority and jurisdiction.
The petitioner further claimed that the MD appointment was a gross violation and negation of the provisions and requirements postulated by Companies act 2017. He added that it was noncompliance of a 2013 Supreme Court judgment for the appointment of a regular MD of the corporation. The petition stated that the office of the corporation was running without any regular head since long.
The concerned authorities were said to claim that the process of the recruitment was initiated that would be finalized very soon in accordance with the law.
“The stance gives overall impression that the federal government is in the process of recruitment against the post of MD PTVC, although time of 18 months already has been lapsed in this process which given rise to certain difficult situation, even some of the corporation board members have resigned as the result of whereof matter could not be finalized,” it detailed.
It may be pertinent to mention here that Khan’s predecessor, Ata-ul-Haq Qasmi, was an appointee of the PML-N and also remained controversial.
To put the matter to rest, last November, the SC declared Qasmi’s appointment null and void.
Qasmi had been appointed in 2017 as MD for the state-run broadcaster while also serving as the chairman. This had caused outrage from all quarters.
