SC declares appointment of Attaul Haq Qasmi as MD PTV illegal

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Thursday declared the appointment of Attaul Haq Qasmi on the post of Managing Director (MD) of state-run Pakistan Television (PTV) as unlawful.

A two-judge bench of the apex court announced the verdict on the case, reserved on February 26 earlier this year, pronouncing the appointment of Attaul Haq Qasmi illegal.

The top court also observed that the salary and perks granted to the famous Urdu playwright are against the law, hence, Rs197.87 millions are to be recovered from erstwhile information minister Pervaiz Rasheed, former finance minister Ishaq Dar and ex principle secretary of former premiers Fawad Hasan Fawad, the court ordered.

In the light of its verdict, the Supreme Court further stated that the hiring of director PTV and rest of all decisions taken by Qasmi during his tenure stand invalid.

Qasmi had been looking after the affairs of PTV as its chairperson on a contract after three-year contract of former MD Mohammad Malick expired on February 26, 2016.

The post was vacant until Qasmi sparked controversy by appointing himself as PTV MD in April 2017. He replaced the acting managing director, Information Secretary Sardar Ahmed Nawaz Sukhera.

Qasmi had allegedly received an aggregate of Rs278 million as salary and employee benefits during his two-year term.