SHC adjourns hearing till Nov 24

ARY television network suit against the former host of its morning show Dr Shaista Wahidi adjourned.

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) has adjourned till November 24 the hearing of a suit filed by ARY television network against the former host of its morning show Dr Shaista Wahidi.

ARY had moved the court alleging a breach of contract on the part of Dr Wahidi and prayed that she be directed for “specific performance”, i.e work for the network as per the agreement signed by the parties for a period of four years.

According to the suit, ARY maintains that they had entered into a contract for a period of two years. After the first year, Dr Wahidi demanded an increment, which was granted, and at the completion of two years, another contract was signed for two more years. However, during the second contract, Dr Wahidi pressed for another raise, which was declined, after which she threatened to resign.

The plaintiff then offered a four-year contract, which she signed, but this time after six months, Dr Wahidi demanded that she be given seven per cent of the revenue generated through her programme. This demand was also accepted but then, she suddenly stopped reporting for work, ARY’s counsel Anwar Mansoor Khan said.

She was then persuaded to return and asked to quote a specific amount, which was agreed at Rs1.8 million per month. The parties also agreed that the difference for the previous six months will be paid in installments, bringing the monthly payable amount to two million rupees. She also recorded a video clip on or around October 20, committing that she would work for ARY and would be back soon. But on October 21, she filed a suit and then joined Geo Television Network, the plaintiff maintains.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 17^th, 2010.