PTV Declares Foreign Travel Expenses of Anchors and Reporters a National Security Matter
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Television (PTV) management has refused to provide details of government expenses incurred on foreign trips by its anchors, reporters and heads of the news department, describing the information as part of official and classified records related to national security and sensitive matters.
Journalist and anchorperson Sadia Mazhar said she had submitted a formal request to the PTV administration under the Right of Access to Information law, seeking complete details of reporters and department heads who had travelled abroad since January 2025 for coverage or participation in events at public, government or PTV expense.
According to PTV’s response, the requested information includes the names of officers and officials who travelled abroad, the formation of teams, the nature of their assignments and the expenses borne by the government or PTV.
PTV said its officers and officials are periodically sent abroad on official assignments, including coverage of the Prime Minister’s visits, high-level government engagements, international conferences and other important official meetings. Specific teams are formed and relevant officials are assigned duties according to the nature and requirements of such assignments.
The PTV administration maintained that details regarding these deployments, including the names of officials, team composition, nature of responsibilities and expenditure, form part of the organization’s official and classified records.
پبلک فنڈز اور قومی سلامتی کو خطرہ 👀
پاکستان ٹی وی کے اینکرز اکثر آپ کو غیر ملکی دوروں پر سرکاری فنڈز پر سفر کرتے نظر اے ہونگے۔ میں نے ایک ارٹی آئی بھیجی اور پوچھا کہ بتائیں ذرا ان ریپورٹرز اور ہیڈز کے بیرونی دوروں پر سرکاری فنڈز سے کتنا پیسہ خرچ کیا گیا۔
اندازہ کیجئے کہ… pic.twitter.com/r1tmFwrfxf
— Saddia Mazhar|سعدیہ مظہر (@SaddiaMazhar) September 8, 2026
It argued that disclosure of such information could reveal or affect matters relating to official deployments, security arrangements, administrative and operational arrangements, as well as other sensitive aspects of high-level government engagements.
The administration further stated that such details are generally not provided to third parties unless formal permission is granted by the competent authority and disclosure is permitted under the relevant laws and regulations.
PTV has requested the Pakistan Information Commission to grant an exemption under Section 16(d)(ii & iii) of the Right of Access to Information Act.
Sadia Mazhar has expressed serious concerns over PTV’s stance and the use of public funds. Addressing Federal Information Minister Attaullah Tarar through social media, she questioned the justification for treating information about expenditures from taxpayers’ money as a national security matter.
She said she had already submitted her legal arguments and evidence before the Pakistan Information Commission against PTV’s refusal, with the aim of ensuring transparency in the use of public funds.
