ISLAMABAD, Nov 3: Chairman/Managing Director Pakistan Television Dr Shahid Masood on Monday tendered his resignation which was instantly accepted by the prime minister.

With his resignation, a long-drawn battle with the federal minister for information Sherry Rehman also came to an end. The tussle started with the sacking of PTV deputy managing director Shahid Nadeem on allegations of mishandling a televised speech of the prime minister.

Dr Masood, an old friend of President Asif Ali Zardari, had accepted the post as what he described a challenge but he had to abandon his mission midway through.

Things came to such a pass that Mr Zardari had to agree to Dr Masood’s removal from the official channel, sources said.

Meanwhile, Dr Masood has been appointed special assistant to the prime minister with the status of a state minister.

The outgoing television boss appeared before a meeting of the Senate sub-committee on information on Saturday and handed over a detailed audit report he had got conducted through a private company.

Talking to Dawn, he said the audit report was full of wonders with millions of rupees misappropriation in hiring of staff as well as in recoveries.

He told the committee that he wanted to make the PTV stand on its feet and to contribute in the national growth but it seemed forces opposed to his mission would not allow him to do so and he would be forced to resign.

He was also grilled in the Senate committee in a previous sitting for the high perks and privileges attached to his contract. However, he produced documents showing that he was not getting any better than the previous MD.