ISLAMABAD – Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Ataullah Tarar, announced on Friday that renowned newscaster Ishrat Fatima will now serve as a mentor at Pakistan Television (PTV) a day after she quit Radio Pakistan with a teary video note.
The announcement was made during a media interaction at Ishrat Fatima’s residence in Islamabad, where Minister Tarar, along with key officials, highlighted the importance of her mentorship.
The event was attended by the Federal Secretary of Information and Broadcasting, Ashfaq Ahmed Khaleel, Prime Minister’s Media Coordinator, Badar Shahbaz, and Principal Information Officer, Mubashir Hassan.
Minister Tarar expressed his gratitude to Ishrat Fatima for agreeing to rejoin PTV as an expert and mentor.
He emphasized that her decades of experience in news broadcasting will play a vital role in training the next generation of broadcasters, particularly in news reading and broadcasting under various circumstances.
Having served for over 45 years, Ishrat Fatima’s voice is well-known across the country. After retiring from Radio Pakistan, she was personally approached by Minister Tarar to join PTV to mentor young talent and promote the Urdu language. He noted that her return would encourage others and strengthen PTV as an institution.
Ishrat Fatima, speaking to the media, expressed her excitement about taking on this new responsibility and thanked the Minister for entrusting her with the role. She expressed eagerness to contribute to the training of the youth and improving the institution.
I was driven to make drastic decision
A day earlier, she shared a video statement to talk about her exit from Radio Pakistan after 45-years of service.
She thanked everyone for their support during their journey at the Radio Pakistan.
However, she revealed that she was made to feel unnecessary at Radio Pakistan, which led her to a difficult decision. With tears in her eyes, Fatima expressed how the situation pushed her to take such a drastic step.
She said, “When you’re committed to your work, it’s your right to have the space to continue. But I wonder if this is how society functions or if it’s a global pattern, where, instead of competing through merit, people resort to undermining you. They try to take away your livelihood, your place, and destroy the environment where you work. It’s deeply painful.”
She further explained, “Despite being fair in your work and deserving your position, you’re met with resistance, creating obstacles that force you into a position where you’re made to feel unwanted and cornered, as if there’s no room for you anymore.”
