Malpractice & nepotism reached at its peak in Pakistan Television Corporation
ISLAMABAD, Aug 28 (SABAH): Malpractice, nepotism and nepotism reached at its peak in Pakistan Television Corporation (PTV). He who was recruited as a peon is holding six important posts. He who was recruited Assistant in IT became Director of Sports. By ignoring the seniors, a blue eyed became the director news. 450 people were recruited in the last 10 months.
The employees were re-designated and among them 65 plumbers, diesel mechanics, drivers, generator operators and gardeners have been made producers, admin and accounts officers. The son and nephew of the director of administration were also appointed officers.
On the one hand, the current government is crying about the severe financial crisis, but the daily administrative expenses are not being reduced and corruption is not being controlled. PTV which is a sub-organization of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting of Pakistan, has no fair dealings.
We used to cry about false and substandard news, but now countless people have been recruited on the basis of nepotism. “SABAH” tried several times to contact the caretaker information minister, the current information minister and the managing director of PTV to find out their position on the meritless appointments but no one responded to the calls and messages. Details of nepotism are given by:
Farhat Abbas Janjua who joined PTV as a runner/peon and got promotions on ex cadre with fake degree of Al-Khair University have been confirmed as PTV Director and given the most powerful position of Director Administration. He is now confirmed as Director PTV Academy and serving as Director Admin having charge of both offices.
Osama Azhar is confirmed as the Director PTV Sports in less then despite the fact that there is already a confirm Director Sports in PTV, and there no rule of promoting two officers on one post. The Director Administration appointed 450 new employees in different cadres within the last 10 months while price of appointments starts from 5 lac. Recently PTV has reopened its re-designation policy despite the fact that it has a huge financial impact on the organization.
Junior employees in scale 16 were promoted in ex cadre positions which is illegal and have no justification in given economic situation. Tens of junior employees granted ex cadre promotions. A junior most lady reporter from Lahore promoted from group 5 to group 8 in less than two years giving her two ex cadre promotions in one year. The other junior most reporter who’s very close to ex information minister Fawad Chaudhry, and an employee of scale 16 is promoted in group 9 which is equal to grade 20. He is also given two ex cadre promotions in less than two years.
An employee of admin department Imran Ayub is another example of misappropriation and misuse of powers. He’s promoted in ex cadre group 9 (equal to grade 20) from grade 17 and appointed as chief coordinator HR and legal at PTV Headquarters. Other ex cadre positions were given to Rashid Mujahid Controller Coordination, Ghulam Rasool Shigri, company secretary and now another post of GM Lands is advertised for already chosen person. These all ex cadre seats have a huge financial impact on PTV.
Extensions and after retirement hiring of PTV staff is another big scam. The PTV administration hired recently retired employees which includes Saifullah Shahid, who was confirmed as director on his day of retirement and hired as director to MD. Saifullah sits in Information Ministry and getting pay from PTV News as a researcher. Back date promotions with a monetary benefit of millions have been granted on money sharing basis.
Assigning multiple charges to single person is another scam at PTV. The full time director engineering Arif Noor has been given the charge of four directors with pay charge of every post separately. He has the charge of Director IT, Director Social Media and Managing Director PTV foundation along with his own department.
Sohail Bukhari is another example who was confirmed as director after retirement and then hired by PTV as a coordinator to managing director, he sits in MD Camp Office at PTV News. Both retired and rehired employees are getting Rs 400,000 per month from PTV from program budget. The sons of Saifullah Shahid and Sohail Bukhari were also hired by PTV. Another promotion was of head of procurement Javed Bashir who has been promoted in ex cadre group-9 and given the special pay allowance of 15% from back date year 2022.
In last 10 months PTV News is being run by a person who has not done a single assignment as reporter or editor on his whole carrier. Now the administration is in under a huge political pressure to confirm Arif Mehmood as Director PTV National or Director International Relations where he hasn’t worked for a single day in his carrier.