Pakistan Television Corporation (PTV)

Established in 1964, Pakistan Television Corporation (PTV) is the state-owned national television broadcaster of Pakistan. Over the decades, PTV has grown into a broadcasting powerhouse, with a workforce of approximately 6,000 employees and a nationwide reach. Its network includes several distinct channels: PTV Home, PTV Global, PTV National, PTV News, and PTV Sports. Programming is delivered in Urdu, English, and numerous regional languages spoken across Pakistan’s diverse provinces, reflecting its mandate to cater to a broad demographic.

Media assets

Television: PTV News, PTV Home, PTV Sports, PTV World, PTV National, AJK TV, PTV Bolan, PTV Global, PTV Parliament

State Media Matrix Typology

Ownership and governance

PTV is registered as a limited liability company wholly owned by the Government of Pakistan. Operationally, it falls under the purview of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, mirroring the governance framework of the Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (PBC).

The corporation is overseen by a government-appointed Board of Directors, which serves as its highest decision-making body. The Managing Director (MD) of PTV is likewise appointed by the federal government, reinforcing the broadcaster’s close institutional linkage to state structures.

PTV’s supreme governing structure is its board of directors that is appointed by the Federal Government. The Managing Director of PTV is also appointed by the government.

As of May 2025, the federal government extended an additional charge of Managing Director (MD) of PTVC—held by Ambreen Jan, Secretary of the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting—for a further three months, pending appointment of a permanent MD.

Source of funding and budget

PTV’s primary funding stream derives from a license fee levied on electricity bills, a mechanism that generated over 71% of its budget in 2019, when its total expenditure stood at PKR 11.1 billion (approx. US$ 61.9 million at the time). This model is intended to provide a buffer against overt governmental influence by ensuring a degree of financial autonomy; however, in practice, the broadcaster remains financially dependent on state allocations and directives.

In 2020, the monthly license fee was raised from PKR 35 to PKR 60 (US$ 0.20 to US$ 0.35), a move aimed at shoring up the broadcaster’s revenues. That same year, advertising revenues hit an all-time high of PKR 1.3 billion, indicating a modest commercial uptick. Nevertheless, PTV’s liabilities reached PKR 19.41 billion, highlighting deep structural financial challenges.

For the 2022 fiscal year, government budgetary support stood at PKR 700 million (approximately US$ 4.1 million). Specific figures for the 2024–25 fiscal year budget for PTVC have not been publicly disclosed as of mid‑2025.

Editorial independence

PTV’s editorial posture remains closely aligned with that of PBC, reflecting Pakistan’s long-standing tradition of tight state control over public media. For decades, PTV has been perceived as a government mouthpiece, and despite occasional rhetoric in favour of reform, little progress has been made.

A brief wave of optimism followed Prime Minister Imran Khan’s 2018 pledge to roll back censorship across state media. However, this initiative failed to translate into tangible change. PTV continues to operate primarily as a vehicle for disseminating official narratives, with editorial decisions often reflecting government priorities.

As of 2025, there is no legislation safeguarding editorial independence at PTV, nor does any independent oversight mechanism exist to monitor or verify its editorial autonomy. Local experts and journalists interviewed for this report in March 2023, June 2024 and May 2025 confirmed that the broadcaster remains effectively tethered to state interests, with limited room for dissenting or critical perspectives.

July 2025