THE recent budget transmissions of TV channels lacked professionalism and sophistication. Except for a few, most programmes remained wishy-washy. Like they have been doing it for the last previous years, the channels again tried to create undue panic amongst the public, building up high expectations of the viewers.

Budget announcements are seen as a routine job in other countries but it becomes the ‘joke of the day’ in Pakistan. It seems as if the anchors try to find answers on Google search engines and when they fail to get satisfactory answers, they ask guests on talk shows who seem to have an answer to just about any question asked on the face of this earth. We hardly expect any intellectual discussions from them.

The fact is that after the 18th Amendment the subject has become more relevant to the provinces than the federation itself. The main job of TV anchors is to engage guests in intellectual debates so that viewers can also benefit.

ASAD SYED Islamabad