Supreme Court on Friday summoned former chairman of Pakistan Television Attaul Haq Qasmi while hearing a matter relating to his appointment against the slot. Expressing surprise over a substantial amount of salary paid to Qasmi, a two-member bench raised questions over the salary that Qasmi withdrew during his two-year tenure of service with PTV.

Issuing notices to former Information Minister Pervez Rasheed, Principal Secretary to Prime Minister Fawad Hassan Fawad, Secretary Establishment Division Maroof Afzal and Attaul Haq Qasmi, the Chief Justice also asked Additional Secretary for Ministry of Information Saba Mohsin to submit a summary about appointment of Qasmi as chairperson of the PTV.

The court was apprised that during his tenure of his service, Qasmi received Rs 278 million to which Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar plainly observed under which law a substantial amount of salary was granted to Qasmi. Expressing his dismay over unjustified remuneration, Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar observed if the then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had illegally appointed Qasmi on the top slot of PTV then he should pay back the taxpayers' money.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2018