Lo bhai! We talk in whispers about the Danishwaran of our society, and hold all the reverence for the literary geniuses, but it seems kaalam nigari has put paid to their true worth!

Ataul Haq Qasmi, a man known for his brilliant books and TV serials like Shab Deg etc, with memorable characters in them, has finally been asked by the court to return crores of rupees that were spent on him as the MD of PTV during the last few years. Pocketing big bundles of currency notes and huge perks courtesy of PML-N, Ata Sahab stunned the on-lookers by jumping into latest Mercedez cars, and caring not an iota about where he was using those perks!

Ummm, yes! Pretty horrendous all that. To think that all the while he was casually scribbling his newspaper columns, he was actually siphoning off Rs 27 crores as MD PTV, which now the Chief Justice, Saqib Nisar wants back from him. “You return 27 crores, and the case is closed. Simple as that!” he said last week.

According to the proceedings, the court remarked that even his smallest utensils like lota, balti, chadar, and towels were bought for him by the PTV establishment. He got the Rs 15 lakh worth of membership of Islamabad Club from PTV too. Mr Parvez Rasheed of Noon League seems to have appointed him MD sometimes back. But, beyond that, the minister seems to be unaware of what Ata Sahab had been doing! Bohot khoob! Aisey hukumrano par qurban jaiyye! Even the Attorney General has excused himself to defend Ata Sahab! The court suggested that the case should be handed to NAB!

Kash, Ataul Haq Qasmi Sahab turned out to be as simple and good hearted as his famous character Kaka Manna!