ISLAMABAD: Senior and legendary news caster Ishrat Fatima, a prominent figure on Pakistan Television (PTV) and Radio Pakistan, has officially announced her retirement after bidding farewell to news casting in recent days.
In a heartfelt video message, she said goodbye to her 45-year career in news reading and expressed deep gratitude to her viewers and listeners who consistently supported her throughout her journey.
Reflecting on her long career, the veteran broadcaster openly shared her experiences. She described news reading not just as her profession, but as her passion and obsession. She always performed her duties with complete dedication and strict punctuality.
Ishrat Fatima admitted that the decision to retire was not an easy one for her.
She thought deeply about it before concluding that Allah would bring goodness even in this choice.
The respected female news caster also spoke candidly about some bitter experiences she faced during her tenure.
Despite being honored with titles such as “legendary” and “highly esteemed,” she felt she was not given the position, recognition, or better opportunities she truly deserved in practice.
She further revealed that she was subtly made to feel, over time, that her services were no longer needed, an experience she found extremely painful.
Her retirement announcement and comments received widespread praise on social media from a large number of users who paid glowing tributes to her.
However, a section of people viewed her grievances less favorably, arguing that it was the same institution (PTV and Radio Pakistan) that supported her for 45 years and gave her the opportunity to work for such a long period.
They felt that if thanking the organization for its support did not seem appropriate to her, then airing grievances was also not right.
Nevertheless, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Atta Tarar personally visited Ishrat Fatima at her home, met with her, paid rich tributes to her invaluable contributions to Pakistan Television and Radio Pakistan, and assured her that every possible effort would be made to address her concerns and grievances.
