ISLAMABAD: Aamer Manzoor was appointed managing director of Pakistan Television (PTV) on Friday, according to an announcement by the ministry of information and broadcasting.

Arshad Khan, the former MD, will now serve as the chairman of PTV board, the ministry said.

While the appointment has ended one controversy in the state-run PTV, but it gives way to another as the PTV union has objected to the appointment of Arshad Khan as chairman of the board.

“We have decided to hold a demonstration against his appointment as cases of misappropriation of funds and misuse of authority are pending against him,” said an office-bearer of the union.

The post of PTV managing director had been vacant since April 11 after the appointment of Arshad Khan was voided by the information ministry.

Arshad Khan was at odds not only with PTV employees but also developed differences with former information minister Fawad Chaudhary.

The PTV union had protested for more than 45 days to press for the removal of Arshad Khan and stopped him from attending office.

The appointment of the new MD, as well as a board of directors, had been a bone of contention between former information minister Fawad Chaudhry and the Prime Minister’s Special Assistant on political affairs Naeemul Haq.

Differences between the two became public and Naeemul Haq had tweeted in February: “The prime minister has full confidence in the board of PTV and its management and believes PTV should be an independent organisation like BBC and the government will take all steps necessary towards that end.”

However on May 12, the Islamabad

High Court (IHC) asked the information secretary to appoint a managing director within three months or face consequences.

Published in Dawn, June 15th, 2019