Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leads Hassan Murtaza claimed that Pakistan Television (PTV) is facing an artificial financial crisis and claims that the situation has left employees without pay for several months.
In a statement, Murtaza accused the government of deliberately weakening the state’s TV company as part of a plan to privatize its valuable properties.
He claimed that the privatization lobby is targeted at PTV’s property assets, worth the trillion of rupees and warned of possible building auctions.
He said that delays in wages and pensions were unnecessary and linked to the removal of the RS35 PTV fee from electricity bills.
Murtaza also held the Minister of Information and PTV-Manager Director, who was responsible for what he described as the broadcaster’s close-bank ruptcy.
The PPP leader criticized the privatization of Pakistan Steel Mills and other state companies, termed it detrimental to workers and aimed to benefit specific groups.
Read: Stats -Tv almost used RS140m on power bills
Previously, the state-controlled Pakistan TV headquarters received electricity bills of RS138.94 million in the last five financial years, according to official figures, the National Assembly.
According to a written response submitted by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in NA, PTV’s electricity expenses have steadily increased each year, with a total of RS138,936,472 used from 2020-21 to 2024-25.
In the financial year 2020-21, the electricity bill was on RS17.287,399, which rose to RS24.045.382 in 2021-22, followed by RS28.895.833 in 2022-23.
The upward trend continued in 2023-24 when RS37.693,235 was used. Although the figure fell slightly in 2024-25, it still amounted to RS31.014.623.
The cumulative in total over the five years came to RS138.936,472.
