ISLAMABAD: A ban on private stuff, crackdown on corruption, and stern measures to check malpractices and unnecessary expenditures at the Pakistan Television (PTV) by its former chairman Attaul Haq Qasmi triggered a humiliation campaign against him soon after his resignation from the office, according to people privy to the matter.
Qasmi resigned as PTV chairman many months prior to the expiry of his contract because according to him due to the prevailing circumstances at the ministry of information and broadcasting, it was impossible for him to continue working for the restoration of the past glory of the state television.
These days, Attaul Haq Qasmi, who is known for his literary, journalistic, cultural and educational contributions for decades, is in grip of allegations that his appointment as PTV chairman was against the prescribed rules and regulations and that he gained benefits during his stint as head of the state-run institution which he did not deserve.
Officials at the state-run television believe that the elements whom Qasmi restricted from exploiting the assets of the PTV were behind the ongoing campaign against him. According to them, Qasmi did not take any extra benefit except his salary and allowances as per the terms of his contract and that the allegations against him making rounds these days were based on ill intent.
According to people working at the PTV who talked to Daily Times on the condition of anonymity, when Qasmi took over as head of the state-run television, some 26 state-of-the-art studios had been deserted and 6,000 employees of the entity were almost sitting idle. Qasmi brought about major changes in the prevailing affairs through multiple initiatives and made the abandoned studios fully functional and productive.
Another step for which Qasmi is being targeted by the influential mafia is complete ban on the private stuff – which became only possible after PTV’s own studios became fully functional. Besides upgrading the deteriorating standard of the state TV, he also tried to stop several malpractices and unnecessary expenditures during his stay at the institution.
In a single effort among many others, Qasmi successfully managed to reduce the service charges being extracted from the institution by WAPDA on account of collection of TV fees from Rs 5 to Re 1 on every electricity bill. Due to his personal request to the prime minister to cut down the service charges, the PTV got a benefit of over Rs 800 million.
“The real story behind the myth of Qasmi’s huge salary as the state TV chairman is that all promos for his programme ‘Khoye Hooun Ki Justajoo’ and its ads in newspapers were charged to him and credited to his account, making it a hefty amount,” a financial officer at the PTV explained.
About his salary allegedly being in millions and the concocted stories being spread in a section of the media about his huge perks and privileges, the source pointed out that Qasmi never put any burden on the institution during his tenure as the chairman. He received a salary of Rs 1.5 million per month, which is far less than the salary being received by a number of anchors working for some private TV channels.
In a recent interview, while responding to these allegations Qasmi had said, “Except for the salary, I never took a single penny for my own programme, under which 60 episodes were conducted. I used to conduct four programmes per month, but ridiculously all production and other expenses have been shown as my salary in the malicious campaign continuing against me lately.” “As far as my alleged lavish spending is concerned, I even didn’t allow making a separate camp office for me in Lahore and shared the general manager’s office there,” he explained.
Qasmi’s commitment to the cause and his prudent polices were always resisted by the mafia which had been minting money by ruining the state television.
Qasmi has a lot to his credit. Besides being the writer of 18 books, which have been translated into four languages, he authored state TV’s memorable plays including ‘Khwaja & Sons’ and ‘Shab Daig’. He is the host, creator and initiator of the historic programme ‘Khoye Hooun Ki Justajoo’.
Qasmi has been awarded the Pride of Performance award, Hilal-e-Imtiaz, Sitara-e-Imtiaz, Tamgha-e-Imtiaz and numerous other prizes and awards. He also served as chairman of the Alhamra Arts Council for eight years. Almost 20 MPhil papers and one PhD thesis has been written on him.
Published in Daily Times, March 4th 2018.
