ISLAMABAD: Expressing disappointment over the working conditions at the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Attaul Haq Qasmi on Wednesday resigned from the post of PTV chairman after serving at the post for almost two years.

“In the prevailing circumstances in the Ministry of Information, Broadcasting, National History and Literary Heritage, it has become increasing difficult for me to continue to work for the restoration of [the] past glory of PTV,” said the resignation letter, sent to Information Secretary Sardar Ahmed Nawaz Sukhera.

Mr Qasmi was appointed to his post on Dec 23, 2015, and will serve at PTV for another 30 days, since his resignation is effective from Dec 13.

Belonging to the Pakistan Administrative Services, Mr Sukhera was recently promoted to grade 22. He was also made acting managing director (MD) PTV in April 2017, five days after Mr Qasmi stirred up controversy by appointing himself to the post of MD alongside his responsibilities as chairman.

A meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting, held in the first week of April, had expressed serious concern over the move, terming it an ‘illegal appointment’.

Following the criticism, State Minister for Information Marriyum Aurangzeb told the committee that the PTV board passed a resolution appointing Mr Qasmi to the post for the time being, and admitted that even the Ministry of Information was not informed of the development.

At the time, she had announced that the ministry would undo the board’s decision and the federal information secretary would be given additional charge as MD PTV until a full-time managing director was appointed. However, a regular posting has not made in the past eight months.

Published in Dawn, December 14th, 2017