Managing Director Pakistan Television (PTV) Arshad Khan was removed from his position on Thursday. A notification to this effect was issued by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. Director Admin and Personnel Col Hassan Imad Mohammedi (retd) has been given additional charge of the post until further orders.
Sources in the Information Ministry believe that modus operandi for appointing former MD Arshad Khan was against the rules and procedure because he was first appointed as the chairman of PTV Board and then the same board appointed its chairman as the MD PTV.
It is pertinent to mention that chairman PTV is an honorary post having no financial benefits like salary, perks and privileges, and a way was opted for benefiting Arshad Khan by appointing him MD as MD post has all perks and privileged. Sources said that he was drawing a monthly salary of Rs 2.2 million. Sources informed that two Benami cheques of Rs 3.1 million and Rs 1.7 million were traced during the initial investigation.
His appointment was contested by PTV Employee Union and he was physically barred to attend the office and had been operating from his home for the last three months.
On March 19, the federal cabinet gave powers of appointing heads of autonomous bodies to the respective ministers. The law has also been changed accordingly while ending the uncertainty over the appointment of managing director of Pakistan Television (PTV) since the appointment of regular MD PTV has been lingering on for the last few months.
In February last, Prime Minister Imran Khan empowered the PTV Board to appoint MD PTV while excluding the information minister from the recruitment process.