On October 21, the Lahore High Court called for a detailed report from the establishment division secretary concerning the prolonged delay in appointing a permanent managing director for Pakistan Television (PTV). Justice Raheel Kamran, presiding over the case, emphasized the need for transparency and urgency in filling the position that has been vacant since 2021.

The directive came during the hearing of a petition by Syed Amjad Ali Shah, a retired senior news editor of PTV, who challenged the government’s failure to appoint a regular managing director at the national broadcaster. The court was informed that the appointment process was pending approval from the federal cabinet.

The petitioner highlighted previous commitments by PTV, noting that the organization had repeatedly sought extensions, the most recent being a request for an additional three-month period to finalize the appointment. This was met with skepticism by Justice Kamran who questioned the lack of progress and remarked on the dual role being played by the information secretary, who is currently the acting MD and chairman of PTV. “Is there no competent person in the entire country who can be appointed as Managing Director of PTV?” Justice Kamran questioned.

Further concerns were raised by the petitioner about alleged interference from the information ministry, which he claimed had adversely affected the financial operations of PTV, including delays in salary and pension disbursements.

The court rejected the report submitted by PTV’s counsel and instructed the establishment secretary to provide a comprehensive report by November 5 on the steps taken towards appointing a permanent managing director, as stipulated under Section 18 of the State-Owned Enterprises (SOE) Act of 2023.

The proceedings have been adjourned until November 5, awaiting the detailed report from the establishment division secretary on the matter.