Irregular appointments: IHC issues notice to PTV administration

Petition filed against appointments of Dr Nauman Niaz and Osama Azhar by senior producers.

ISLAMABAD:

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday issued a pre-admission notice to Pakistan Television Network (PTV)’s acting managing director (MD) in response to a petition challenging appointments in the PTV sports channel.

The petitioners – Shahid Mehmood and others, working in PTV sports channel as senior producers – filed a petition through their counsel Sheikh Riazul Haq challenging the appointments of Dr Nauman Niaz as director sport and Osama Azhar as assistant controller sports.

The counsel for the petitioners maintained that Dr Nauman was a contractual employee, hosting a sports programme at the channel and that he was not entitled to the post. He informed the court that the PTV administration had recently appointed their ‘favourite’ in the sports department.



The attorney said his clients were permanent employees of the channel; however, they were ignored despite the fact that they deserved the post of director sport. “My clients are working since long in the PTV but were deprived of the lucrative post,” he added.

Advocate Haq contended that the appointment of Dr Nauman was a clear violation of Supreme Court’s (SC) judgment in Anita Turab case in which the apex court had banned the transfer and posting of government employees through political connection.

He claimed that the PTV administration did not conduct open bidding for the rights of South Africa series. He requested the court to grant stay order and set aside the appointment of Dr Nauman and Osama .

The petitioners also appealed to the court to constitute a commission regarding the mismanagement of the state-run television.

Justice Noorul Haq N Qureshi issued a notice to acting MD Qazi Mustufa Kamal and sought his reply on November 27. 

Published in The Express Tribune, November 26^th, 2013.