Ahmad Noorani
ISLAMABAD: Chairman Pemra, Mushtaq Malik has been sacked by the Government and told not to rejoin duty on May 2 in what experts say is an action against the law and rules and regulations.
Sources said the Chairman was summoned to the presidency on Saturday and was told in a threatening tone that he should leave the city. Malik was not immediately available for comments but friends close to him confirmed the news.
Credible sources in the presidency confirmed to The News that Mushtaq Malik, who was on leave of 86 days effective from February 7, 2011 to April 30, 2011 and was supposed to join office on May 2, 2011, was called in the presidency and told that he was no more Chairman Pemra so should not visit his office from Monday.
Mushtaq was sent on forced leave on Feb 7 12 days before the start of the ICC World Cup as he was reluctant to obey ‘illegal orders.’ Executive Member Pemra Dr Jabbar was asked to look after the charge of his office. However, even at that time Mushtaq Malik was asked to keep quiet, stay away from the media and in case of any encounter stick to the statement that he was going on leave of his own accord. Some aides in the presidency even ordered Mushtaq Malik to leave the city for the time being.
It is pertinent to mention that Chairman Pemra is appointed under Pemra Act under which it is a tenure post for four years and there is no provision to remove a chairman.
In view of this law, Mushtaq Malik was first given offers of other positions if he resigned on his own so that some PPP jiala and loyalist of President Zardari could be appointed in his place. This was so that a war against some selected independent media groups could be fought vigorously.
He was later asked to go on three-month leave that expired on Sunday. Some friends said he may take further leave as he was of the view that if the PPP government had indeed decided to remove him forcefully he would not get into a fight with these ‘dirty people.’
These sources told The News that Mushtaq was told in an almost humiliating manner that if contacted by the media he should say he was on leaving for personal reasons.
Source: The News
Date:5/2/2011
