Editorial
In a time when Pakistan’s citizens are struggling under the weight of inflation, crippling utility bills, and stagnant incomes, the government continues to extract over one trillion rupees in taxes on electricity bills alone. Hidden within these charges is the controversial PTV fee—an automatic deduction that generates over 14 billion rupees annually. What is most troubling, however, is not merely the collection of this fee, but its brazen misuse as a tool of state-sponsored propaganda.
The Pakistan Television Corporation, a public broadcaster meant to serve the informational and cultural needs of the nation, has increasingly become a mouthpiece for the government in power. Rather than offering balanced coverage, investigative journalism, or serving the public interest, PTV now amplifies ruling party narratives while sidelining dissent and suppressing alternative viewpoints. This not only undermines journalistic integrity but also distorts public discourse in a democracy already teetering on fragile ground.
The deeper concern lies in the ethics of using public money to finance biased content. Citizens are effectively being forced to pay for a state narrative that often contradicts their lived realities. Instead of functioning as an independent media outlet, PTV has become a soft power instrument, operating under political direction rather than journalistic principles.
It is time to ask: why should a state-funded broadcaster be allowed to act as a government mouthpiece, and why should ordinary citizens foot the bill for it? Accountability, transparency, and a redefinition of public broadcasting are urgently needed. If PTV cannot serve the people over politics, then it has failed its very mandate—and taxpayers have every right to question where their money is going.
