PTV News Channel-3 in doldrums
ISLAMABAD: The PTV News Channel-3 is reportedly in doldrums even after purchasing equipment worth three crore rupees. The dollars given to Thiacom for beaming its programmes also appear to have been wasted.
According to sources Sarwar, Munir Rao, who was sent to USA to learn the tricks of the trade at CNN and help run Channel-3, is tsaid to be in “protective custody” of the MD PTV who has made Rao “Controller incharge” international division at the headquarter.
Head of the PTV News Channel-3, Ehsan Qadir Hashmi who resigned from PTV as Deputy Controller to head Channel-3 is said to have received back his resignation from MD PTV Mirza Baig.
It is reliably learnt that Hashmi was made head of the Channel-3 on recommendation of Ehtesab Cell Chief, while Fahad Hussain the “Chief Editor” Channel-3 on recommendation of the Information Minister. The post of Chief Editor was not advertised but created by abolishing the two posts of controllers advertised earlier in the newspapers.
Hashmi after getting back his resignation has now been given the post of GM Islamabad station.
The current affairs department has also been put under his charge. Director Current Affairs, Naveed Qamar is said, to have gone on leave. The PTV is reportedly an institution with no rules or regulations.
According to sources MD is said to have helped appointment of about 300 resource persons on recommendations of PML(N) high-ups despite a ban on jobs.
These posts were never advertised in any newspaper. Some of the resource persons are just matriculate.
The salaries of resource persons vary from 5,000 to 20,000 rupees depending on their political contacts. Some students were also appointed as resource persons.
Some controllers are said to have grown rich overnight. A former GM of PTV station is said to have obtained construction tenders for his relatives besides appointing ten resource persons.
It is alleged that Sarwar Munir Rao, who was in group eight, was pushed up in group nine and appointed controller while the senior-most man Azam Khursheed in group nine was made a producer and sent to Lahore. Sarwar Munir Rao is now running the international department which is responsible for conducting international agreements, hiring satellite time, purchasing private programmes and making other lucrative deals.
Pakistan Television with its 300 producers is producing nothing worth-mentioning 70 per cent of prime time is provided by private producers.
The entire PTV structure has been rendered useless by the theka (contract) concept. Private fee collection was given on contract. This earned extra money for PTV.
No bidding was allowed while opening Prime TV Norway and Mideast Time. Similarly there was no bidding when time was purchased from Thiacom.
Source: Business Recorder
Date:11/6/1999
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