ISLAMABAD: Public Accounts Comm­ittee of the National Asse­mbly on Wednesday issued directives for taking action against all those involved in the “illegal” transfer of Pakistan Super League broadcast rights to the ARY television network.

The committee meeting chaired by MNA Noor Alam Khan observed that during the previous reg­i­me, the rules were flouted for the benefit of a private channel.

The committee also ordered to stop the salary and perks and privileges of former Pakistan Television Director of Sports Dr Nauman Niaz.

“Action will be taken against whoever is invol­ved in this matter”, Noor Alam Khan maintained.

Sheikh Rohail Asghar opined that the former information minister was involved in this matter.

He suggested that the committee should summon Dr Nauman Niaz to determine his role in this matter for a better understanding of the members.

In June last year, Pakistan Television Corpo­r­ation had acknowledged before the Lahore High Court that the agreement for the broadcasting rights of PSL-VII — signed betw­een the state-run television corporation and private media group ARY — was in violation of rules and against the principles of transparency.

Secretary Information and Broadcasting Sohail Ali Khan briefed the PAC on the process of granting the PSL rights to ARY and ongoing hearings on the matter in different courts.

The Secretary of Information briefed the committee that the rights were acquired by a consortium that included ARY and PTV and that PTV also participated in the bid.

In response to a question by the chairman and the members of the PAC about why no action had been taken so far, he said that the PTV had conducted an inquiry and the case had been sent to Federal Investigation Agency.

In his reply to another question from the committee members who asked why those involved in the “shady” deal were not suspended, which harmed the national exchequer, Sohail Ali Khan said that Dr Nauman Niaz had already been suspended and at present four cases were pending in Sindh High Court, two in Lahore High Court and one in Islamabad High Court, on the issue.

He said it was the view of the PTV that the broadcasting rights were not given in a proper and transparent manner, elaborating that there were stay orders from courts on the issue and that the MoIB was awaiting the judgments, which would be announced soon.

Published in Dawn, April 13th, 2023