ISLAMABAD: The mob that stormed the headquarters of Pakistan Television (PTV) was uncannily familiar with the inner workings of a TV station and made a bee-line for the station\u2019s Master Control Room (MCR) \u2013 the nerve centre of the network\u2019s broadcast uplink facility.<\/p>\n
They were also surprisingly familiar with the locations of key offices and the central newsroom and news studios located within the labyrinthine building of the state-broadcaster, which is a veritable maze for newcomers.<\/p>\n
PTV officials told Dawn that the intruders also harassed station employees vandalised several offices on different floors.<\/p>\n
A security official deputed at PTV Headquarters told Dawn around 9:30am, approximately half an hour before the station was stormed; a bearded man approached the security room adjacent to the building\u2019s main gate and issued an ominous warning.<\/p>\n
\u201cBe ready. We are coming for you in a little while,\u201d the security official quoted the unidentified man as having said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought he must\u2019ve been some sort of over zealous protester, trying to harass us, the official said, adding that just after 10am, when hundreds of protesters stormed the building, he was forced to change his opinion.<\/p>\n
Upon entering the premises, a team of individuals made straight for the MCR, where they asked technicians to first remove all news tickers that were relaying news of the state broadcaster\u2019s occupation by protesters, at the time.<\/p>\n
Following this, the men, who appeared to be from both PTI and PAT, asked them to cease transmission.<\/p>\n
\u201cA layman cannot possibly understand the technicalities of transmission so well; they knew exactly what they had to do,\u201d an MCR technician told Dawn, adding that it was surprising that they managed to find the MCR with such ease.<\/p>\n
In order to ensure that PTV went off the air, certain individuals among the occupying group asked the staff inside the broadcast facility to deactivate the satellite uplink, while keeping uplink and downlink monitors active, the MCR technician said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn my near-30 year career, this is the second time I\u2019ve seen the army deployed at PTV Headquarters,\u201d he said, referring to the coup staged by former military ruler Pervez Musharraf in October 1999.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis time around, I don\u2019t how long the army will state here, because their presence is felt to be necessary for as long as these anti-government sit-ins continue,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
PTV World Controller Mohammad Owais Butt told Dawn that it was a stroke of good luck that after taking over the MCR, the protesters did not seek to come on-air and make a statement against the interests of the state.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe were afraid that they might force us to air their own propaganda, but thankfully, they seemed content with interrupting our transmission,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n