ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Saturday warned the information secretary to appoint a Pakistan Television (PTV) managing director within three months or face the consequences.

Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani disposed of two identical petitions seeking the appointment of a PTV managing director and observed that the post has been vacant for more than 18 months, while the government has not completed the process initiated for the appointment.

Justice Kayani ordered the appointment of a PTV managing director “in accordance with law within a period of three months, failing which law shall take its own course in terms of rule 25 of Public Sector Companies (Corporate Governance) Rules 2013.”

Under this rule, those creating hurdles in the implementation of the rules may be penalised.

The court order states: “However, it is expected from the federal government to nominate and complete nomination of board of governors within period of two months for the finalization of recruitment of MD PTV failing which secretary Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and all others concerned shall be responsible for creating obstruction in the appointment of MD PTV and shall be dealt accordingly.”

During the hearing, counsel for PTV Shahid Mehmood Khokhar told the court that the government has already initiated the appointment process. He said the government has de-notified Arshad Khan as acting managing director and the charge has been temporarily given to retired Col Hassan Imad Mohammedi.

The petitioner adopted before the court that the government did not seem interested in appointing a regular, full-time managing director as PTV’s affairs are being run through makeshift arrangements.

Published in Dawn, May 12th, 2019