ISLAMABAD (MNN); The administrative crisis in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has deepened, as the positions of Information Secretary and Managing Director (MD) of Pakistan Television (PTV) remain vacant for over three weeks.
According to sources, the ministry’s administrative functions have been severely affected following the retirement of former Information Secretary Ambreen Jan, while PTV’s leadership also remains inactive. Sources revealed that a deadlock persists between the Prime Minister’s Office and the ministry over the appointment of a new information secretary.
Reports suggest that the Prime Minister’s Office is in favor of appointing senior officer Arshad Munir as Information Secretary. However, Federal Information Minister Attaullah Tarar is supporting Ashfaq Khalil, who is considered close to him as well as to Prime Minister’s Media Coordinator Badr Shahbaz.
Due to the delay in these appointments, several important projects and files within the ministry have been put on hold, while key administrative decisions at PTV are also pending.
A senior official, requesting anonymity, said that decision-making within the ministry has nearly come to a standstill. “The information minister and the Prime Minister’s Office must urgently appoint a new information secretary, as several policy-related matters are facing unnecessary delays,” the official stated.
Sources added that the government is likely to make a decision regarding the top appointments in the Ministry of Information and PTV next week. However, if the disagreements persist, the matter could be further prolonged.
