PBA appoints new secretary-general

KARACHI:

The board of directors of the Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA) has suspended Sarfaraz Shah from his position of secretary-general of the body, and a replacement has been appointed.

The decision will come into effect immediately, according to a press release issued on Thursday, which added that any further dealings with Shah would not be accepted by the PBA.

In the release, PBA Chairman Muhammad Aslam Qazi said that a show-cause notice has also been issued to Shah to explain certain serious illegalities that he appears to have committed during his term as secretary-general. In accordance with the article of association, the board has given him 10 days to submit his reply and has also invited him for a personal hearing on 12th November.

The board has appointed Shakeel Masood, CEO of Dawn News, as the new secretary-general.

The press release added that the Sindh High Court, in a suit filed by PBA along with majority of members of its board of directors against Shah, directed the parties to maintain status quo, confirming the legal status of Shah as suspended and that of Masood as the present secretary-general of PBA.

The PBA requested all concerned to send all future communications with PBA to the new secretary-general. Any further dealings with Shah will not be accepted or acknowledged by PBA, which has also revoked Shah’s authority to sign cheques on behalf of PBA or to handle PBA’s bank accounts.

The decision to suspend Shah was taken at a meeting of the board, which was attended by KTN, AAJ TV, Express TV, Dawn News, Geo TV, TV One, Hum TV, Dhoom TV, FM 91, City FM 89 and APNA KARACHI 107. Dunya TV and City 42 have also strongly supported this move.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, October 26^th, 2012.