April 22, 2008	Tuesday	Rabi-us-Sani 15, 1429

ISLAMABAD, April 21: In a major move, the ministry of information has decided to send home all the contractual employees employed during the last nine years in the cyber wing, Associated Press of Pakistan (APP), Pakistan Television, Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (PBC), Shalimar Recording and Publishing Corporation (SRPC) and Press Information Department (PID).

Minister for information Sherry Rehman had earlier hinted at making drastic changes in the official media in order to “give it a more democratic look and detach it from the dictatorial past.”

Prominent among the affected employees include Tariq Imam, Managing Director SRBC, Rai Riaz MD APP, Shakoor Tahir, chief coordinator news and current affairs, and Agha Masood Shorash, director news and current affairs PTV. Head of the cyber wing and some consultants in PBC were working against exorbitant emoluments.

The reason for laying off so many contractual employees has been cited as induction without following rules and regulations.

Interestingly, Shakoor Tahir announced his resignation from the post on which he said he was appointed by the former MD PTV following his retirement.

Similarly, an official television anchorperson Israr Kasana has also been removed following termination of his contract, a press release said.

It is also reported that the government was also considering to relieve the incumbent MD PTV Yousaf Baig Mirza.

Formal notification is expected to be issued on Tuesday, sources told Dawn.

Meanwhile, a former PIO and press minister in Washington Akram Shaheedi has been appointed as additional secretary information as in-charge information ministry to replace Malik Fazlur Rehman who was working on the post following resignation of Syed Anwar Mahmood.

The information minister has also decided to appoint A.S. Abbasi, a grade 21 officer of the ministry, as new Principal Information Officer (PIO) in place of the Chaudhry Rashid Ahmed.