ISLAMABAD, (DNA) – The Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday declared the appointment and monetary benefits bestowed upon Attaul Haq Qasmi, former managing director of Pakistan Television, as illegal.

In a short order read out by Justice Umar Atta Bandial, the court held former ministers of information and finance, Pervez Rashid and Ishaq Dar respectively, as well as former principal secretary to the prime minister Fawad Hassan Fawad responsible for the discrepancies.

A three-member Supreme Court bench headed by the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) had heard the suo motu case and a verdict was reserved earlier this year.

Qasmi had ignited controversy in April 2017 when he appointed himself PTV MD while also remaining the chairman of the state-run broadcaster.