Pakistan Television MD’s services terminated prematurely
ISLAMABAD- The sudden termination of the contract of Managing Director of Pakistan Television takes its roots from his efforts to recover outstanding amount from a company owned by the brothers of Prime Minister’s adviser, sources said.
Yusuf Baig Mirza, whose contract was renewed by the new government only a few weeks ago, was sent packing unceremoniously as news reports suggested he was sacked because of financial bungling.
Baig was appointed by the Nawaz Sharif government and after the October 1999 military coup President Pervez Musharraf decided to continue with him.
The government of Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali also extended his contract, however, his services were prematurely terminated last week.
Reliable sources confided that it was actually a tug of war between a very close aide of Zafarullah Khan Jamali and Yusuf Baig, which led to the unceremonious exit of the latter from PTV.
According to details supported by documents, the PTV MD had started asserting pressure for the recovery of an “outstanding” amount of more than Rs 100 million from a media company owned by the two brothers of an adviser to the Prime Minister.
The adviser wanted the PTV MD to remain quiet on the issue.
The amount was “payable” to PTV in airtime rent of five hours six days a week transmission of Channel 3 (STN).
The company was “unable” to pay the airtime rent for the past seven months and its total outstanding amount crossed Rs 100 million.
The documents said another media company initially went into agreement with the original lessee of five hours six days a week transmission of Channel 3 (STN) by buying 50 percent stakes in the company in October 2002.
Very soon both the parties started working under a new name in which both were equal stakeholders.
Before this merger and shareholding the company was already lagging behind in terms of its airtime rental payments to PTV.
The PTV gave them final notice on February 19, 2003, when their last cheque of around Rs 8 million was bounced.
The PTV, in its letter, again asked them to clear all the outstanding dues by February 22, otherwise it would take necessary legal action. However, the MD was forced to ignore the recovery.
Failing to face pressure, Yusuf Baig decided to go on ex-Pakistan leave from February 23, however, he was sacked before his return.
Source: Business Recorder
Date:3/11/2003
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