IHC orders recovery of Rs197m from ex-PTV chairman, former ministers

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has directed the revenue department to recover dues to the tune of Rs197 million from former chairperson of Pakistan Television (PTV) Attaul Haq Qasmi, former information minister Pervaiz Rashid, ex-finance minister Ishaq Dar and ex-principal secretary Fawad Hassan Fawad over the "illegal" appointment of Qasmi as the PTV head.

In 2018, the Supreme Court had declared Qasmi's appointment illegal and directed the authorities concerned to recover the said amount from them.

As per the SC order, at least 50 per cent amount would be recovered from Qasmi, while the remaining amount would be paid by the ex-ministers and the ex-secretary due to their role in the appointment.

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As it disposed of the executing pleas filed by the PTV management, Justice Mohsin Kiyani said that the petitions be transmitted to the district collector, ICT, who shall proceed with the recovery of the amount as per the directions of the SC.

The bench also said a report should be submitted to the court within the next three months.

Qasmi was appointed as chairperson for PTV on Dec 23, 2015. In April 2017, he appointed himself to the position of managing director at the state-run facility - a move that stirred up quite a controversy among government officials and the public on social media.

A meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting, held during the same week, termed the move as an ‘illegal appointment’.

At the time, State Minister for Information Marriyum Aurangzeb admitted that the Ministry of Information was not informed of the development. During his two-year tenure at the PTV, Qasmi had reportedly made "Rs278 million".