Islamabad

Non-availability of an advanced laptop has cost dearly to 17 officials of state-run PTV in Pakistan.  

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No, we are not kidding, it is absolutely true.  

These officials have been suspended by the PTV for not being able to ensure 'proper' coverage of the Lahore visit of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.  

Last week, the leader visited Kot Lakhpat Jail and Ramazan Bazaars in Lahore.  

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In the incident, the Pakistan Television (PTV), which was taking care of the coverage, could not do it as it did not have an advanced laptop required to upload the footage through File Transfer Protocol (FTP), the Dawn newspaper reported.  

For the coverage of any such visit by the PM, a VVIP team, which comprises reporters and producers of PTV, is entrusted and equipped with the latest gadgets, according to the standard operating procedures.  

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These gadgets include laptops for live streaming and fast uploading of the footage of the event, the report said.  

When the PTV’s Lahore centre got information about the PM’s visit, it informed the headquarters to provide an advanced laptop, the report said.  

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"Since, we don't have any laptop editing facility at the Lahore centre, we hired a laptop with the editing facility, but as a permanent arrangement, we must own the same facility at the centre," the centre at Lahore told the headquarters in a letter earlier.  

No attention was paid to this matter. The state-run TV suggested hiring one again.  

On the reply, the personal laptop of an official was arranged by Lahore centre but when the team tried to transmit the footage, the battery of the laptop had already drained.  

This led to the suspension of the officials including VVIP coverage deputy controller Imran Bashir Khan.  

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(With inputs from agencies)