ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday issued a stay order on the transfer of the suspended director news and two other senior officials of the state-run PTV to the far-flung area of Turbat, Balochistan, by the previous government.

Suspended Director News Rashid Baig and reporting head Shahid Ajmal Malik from the PTV’s Islamabad centre and Purchase Officer Nasir Hussain from the Quetta office were transferred to the PTV booster in Turbat on March 4.

The channel’s administration had stated in the transfer letter that “PTV’s transmission is being broadcast in the southern border of Pakistan efficiently through RBS of this area. However, employees of this region have never been developed/trained to understand the dynamics of local inhabitants and their amalgamation into the Pakistani narrative.

In order to identify the fault lines/issues/propagation of CPEC being confronted in these areas and translate/project them in its true perspective, integrate it in the government narrative, a team comprising senior officials has been constituted to be stationed at strategic location i.e. RBS Turbat to undertake in-depth analysis of the area dynamics/physical demography/develop contents, especially with regards to CPEC and train employees of all RBSs of the southern belt.”

Mr Baig had challenged in the high court the appointments in PTV made by the previous regime of PTI at key news, financial and administrative positions. Resultantly, he was suspended and then transferred from the news department and posted to RBS Turbat along with two other senior officials.

Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb of the IHC resumed hearing of the petition. The same court had earlier this month issued an interim restraining order against the said transfers.

Baig’s counsel Shahid Mehmood Khokhar informed the court that the PTV management victimised his client and transferred him to the Turbat booster where only a technician was working to look after the system.

The PTV, on the other hand, in a reply submitted before the court maintained that the appointments were made in accordance with the law and with due deliberations. The law ministry’s opinion was also sought prior to making the said appointments, it claimed.

Published in Dawn, April 28th, 2022