Government-owned broadcaster Shalimar Recording & Broadcasting Company Limited (SRBC), the operator of ATV channel, has terminated the services of its entire workforce under court-enforced liquidation proceedings, the company announced on 26 November 2025.
According to an official order dated 24 November, all employees — including regular, contractual, deputed, temporary, daily-wage staff, broadcast resource persons, as well as individuals on leave or holding acting/additional roles — are to be relieved by close of business on 30 November.
Outgoing personnel have been instructed to submit work-status and task-completion reports and perform full handovers of all official files, accounts, media assets, passwords, and other operational materials by 28 November. Administrators have designated focal persons across administration, finance, engineering, technical, and station-management units to oversee the transition.
The liquidation notice assures that the layoffs are not punitive. All pending dues — including gratuity (where applicable), leave encashment, salary arrears, and other claims — will be settled in line with SRBC’s service rules and high-court approved priorities, subject to availability of liquidation funds.
The formal directive, signed by Muhammad Atif Saeed on behalf of chartered-accountancy firm Khilji Rahat Waheed & Co. (acting as official liquidators), has been circulated to the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, the Pakistan Television Corporation (PTVC), the Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (PBC), the Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) and posted on SRBC’s notice board.
The shuttering of ATV marks the abrupt end of operations for one of Pakistan’s longstanding broadcasters. The move reflects a drastic legal and financial intervention by the courts to liquidate SRBC — a process that now leaves hundreds of media professionals jobless.
The liquidation and layoffs come amid a broader climate of financial distress and restructuring in parts of Pakistan’s state-owned media infrastructure. Analysts warn the shutdown could exacerbate concerns over media plurality and job security for media workers.
How quickly pending dues are disbursed — and whether any successor entity or alternative broadcasting channels emerge — will be watched closely by employees, regulators, and media stakeholders.
