PTV sacks 2 officials for airing 'incorrect' map of Pakistan

Published June 10, 2020
The incident took place on June 6. — Screengrab/File
The incident took place on June 6. — Screengrab/File

State-run Pakistan Television (PTV) has fired two employees for airing an "incorrect map of Pakistan" that was showing occupied Kashmir to be a part of Indian territory.

The incident was taken up in the Senate on June 8 after Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani referred the matter to the Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting.

In a tweet on Wednesday, the state broadcaster said: "Taking strict action on the recommendations of the inquiry committee designated to probe the airing of an incorrect image of a map of Pakistan on June 6 on PTV News, PTV management has terminated two officials found responsible for the professional oversight."

In a tweet on June 7, PTV had said it had "zero tolerance for such negligence" and had assured that strict action will be taken against those responsible.

The incident — which had drawn a lot of ire on social media — had also caught the attention of Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry and Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari.

In a tweet, Chaudhry had urged Information Minister Shibli Faraz to take notice of the incident.

Calling the incident "absolutely unacceptable", Mazari had attributed it to "sheer carelessness and lethargy". She had also urged the information minister to take note of the incident.

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