September 09, 2026
By Hashir Ahsan
ISLAMABAD
A press conference was held in Islamabad by the aggrieved and distressed current employees as well as the retired employees of ATV, revealing shocking disclosures regarding the financial crisis of the institution, as well as the alleged incompetence and looting by responsible officers of the Ministry of Information.
The press conference was addressed by Employees Union President Muhammad Suhail, General Secretary Athar Hayat, retired employees’ representative Wajid Abbasi, and other leaders.
Speaking to the media, the participants stated that due to continuous neglect and prolonged financial distress, 19 employees have lost their lives during service and in conditions of extreme destitution.
Retired employees are forced to wander aimlessly to receive their dues. At this stage of old age, they are neither finding alternative employment nor getting any redressal from the concerned authorities.
Leaders alleged that during the tenure of former Secretary of Information Sohail Ali Khan, a burden of debt was placed on the institution, and a heavy loan of 140 million rupees (14 Crore PKR) was acquired from HBL, while on the other hand, the officers concerned fully enjoyed all government perks during the destruction of the institution.
Participants stated that Mr. Tauseef, who managed the financial affairs of the institution on behalf of the Ministry of Information, did not even bother to visit Shalimar Broadcasting Company. He operated affairs while sitting at the Ministry and PID, while the institution continued its decline.
Core demands of the employees
The following are the core demands of the employees:
- Immediate full and final settlement of all employee dues.
- Respectable Golden Handshake package for affected employees.
- Absorption of ATV (Shalimar Recording and Broadcasting Company) employees’ services into PTV or Radio Pakistan.
- ATV workers and all employees have strongly appealed to the Army Chief of Pakistan, the Prime Minister of Pakistan, and the Federal Minister for Information to take immediate notice, intervene in this human and administrative crisis, and fulfill the legitimate and constitutional demands of the employees immediately to save them from further destruction.
Background
ATV, a semi-government network that ruled Pakistan’s television landscape for decades, along with its founding company Shalimar Recording and Broadcasting Company (SRBC), formally went off-air on June 19, 2026, following a prolonged financial and administrative crisis, becoming a part of history.
Shalimar Recording and Broadcasting Company was established in 1974, holding a unique status in Pakistan’s broadcasting landscape. Later, under the name ATV, it operated as the country’s second-largest network, offering entertainment programs, dramas, and FM radio services (FM 94.6). It was a semi-governmental institution that largely operated on self-generated resources and received no regular financial grant or subsidy from the Government of Pakistan.
The closure of ATV was not the result of a single event, but a continuation of years of administrative chaos and severe
financial crisis:
The institution became overburdened with high-interest bank loans, non-payment of employee salaries, and administrative mismanagement. Employees were not paid approximately 32 months of salaries, Provident Fund, and gratuity dues over the past six years.
After the institution suffered severe losses, the liquidation process (winding-up process) was initiated under the supervision of the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) and the court.
In November 2025, notices were issued to employees by the liquidator, and in June 2026, under a court-monitored settlement process, the services of over 280 journalists, technical experts, and administrative staff were terminated. On June 19, 2026, all broadcast equipment and signals were permanently taken off-air.
Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar and the Ministry of Information clarified the government’s stance, stating that the closure and liquidation of the institution occurred as a result of legal actions and court petitions filed by the employees and union, leading the court to appoint a liquidator.
The government claims it attempted to provide resources to run the institution and pay employee salaries. The government’s position was that it desired to revive the institution under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) or save it through transparent privatization, but due to legal complexities, liquidation became inevitable under court orders.