Dr Shahid Masood resigns, appointed PM’s special assistant

ISLAMABAD: A six-month-old bitter tug of war between Sherry Rehman and Dr Shahid Masood came to an end on Monday after President Asif Zardari decided to accept his resignation but made him a special assistant to the prime minister.

Dr Shahid Masud, however, before leaving the charge, had moved a contempt of court petition in the Islamabad High Court against those who had shown a rare show of power in the PTV headquarters last week when Deputy MD Shahid Mahmood Nadeem, sacked by Dr Masood, was forcefully made to sit in his office while the matter was subjudiced before a court of law.

Federal Minister for Information Sherry Rehman, Shahid Mehmood Nadeem, Capt (retd) Wasif and Nazir Dhoki and a few others have been mentioned as contemnors in the petition.Dr Masood told a private TV channel that he had no clue about what he would do as special assistant to the PM, having the status of a minister of state.“Let me celebrate the acceptance of my resignation and then I will see how to handle my new assignment,” he said.

The contempt petition, available with The News, says: ìThe case of the deputy managing director was fixed for arguments on October 31, 2008 but the petition in connivance with the PTV and its officials in the anticipation that the case may be decided against them, in totally contemptuous manner and without waiting for any directions from the honourable court, made an attempt to reinstate Shahid Mehmood Nadeem physically as the deputy managing director. Aim of the Nadeem and his co-contemnor was to make the petition anfractuous by installing Nadeem as the DMD PTV. It is pertinent to mention here that this attempt is also in contravention of the orders of the court dated 26-9-2008 in which the petitioner was not allowed to carry out functions as DMD.”

The petition further reads: “But the incident which amounts to a blatant contempt of court was reported by the national newspapers on October 31, 2008 edition.

That in the afternoon of 30 October, 2008 Shahid Mehmood Nadeem came along with the minister (Sherry Rehman), Rao Tehsin Ali Khan, DG Minister Office, Mubashar Hassan, PS to Minister, Capt (retd) Wasif Syed, Coordinator News and Current Affairs PTV, Nazir Hussain Dhoki, Chief Coordinator News and Current Affairs as mentioned in the news reports to the PTV Headquarters in Islamabad and called Asad Ahmad Jaspal, Director Admin and Personnel of the PTV and it was demanded of him that orders be issued for Shahid Mehmood Nadeem’s reinstatement immediately. The director Admin and Personnel was informed that notwithstanding the court decision or that the case was pending, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting was the authority to appoint all persons in the PTV and was sole incharge and that accordingly Shahid Mehmood Nadeem must be reinstated. That by the above actions, Shahid Mehmood Nadeem as well as other contemnors have committed a contempt of this honourable court intentionally and with a motive to disobey the possible orders of this honourable court.”

Dr Masud prayed in the contempt petition that persons held liable for having committed contempt of court be proceeded against in accordance to the law and should be given exemplary punishment so that they dare not to disobey the orders of the court.

Dr Shahid Masud told The News that his resignation had been approved by the president but the president had waived the payment of six month salary which he had to pay in case of resigning as per the contract. He confirmed that he had been made special assistant to the PM.