ISLAMABAD - The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has advised Dr Shahid Masood, Chairperson and Managing Director of Pakistan Television Corporation, to "ensure that Shahid Nadeem assumes his duties as Deputy Managing Director, PTV without any further delay." The letter has been issued by AS Abbasi, acting Secretary, Ministry of Information here on Wednesday. The letter also said, "Prime Minister's approval of the appointment of Shahid Mahmood Nadeem as DMD in PTC has rendered inconsequential" the issue raised in the Aug 5 letter of Dr Masood. The letter adds, "it is emphasised that the PM approval has overriding authority." The MD instead reportedly banned the entry of Shahid Nadeem in the PTV Headquarters the day the letter was issued. Nadeem was dismissed on July 20, a day after the nationwide address of Prime Minister Gilani to the nation in which there had been some technical problems. The dismissal notice was based on an enquiry report prepared by Sarwar Munir Rao, director news and current affairs, Fakhar Hameed, controller IT, Mujahid Bin Syed Gillani, director engineering (O&M) and Asad A Jaspal, director, administration and personnel. It is interesting to note that the Chairperson/MD found two of the members of the inquiry team convicted and gave them minor punishments, which were later revoked. Shahid Nadeem was singled out for termination about whom the report is silent. The whole of report named him only twice only mentioning his presence at the venue along with others which was part of courtesy to the Prime Minister. Dr Shahid Masood and Sarwar Munir Rao were present in the control room when the speech started. The report is silent on who ordered to use teleprompter for the speech, which according to the report can only be handled by experienced anchorpersons, newsreaders and hosts. Only ZA Bhutto one or twice addressed to the nation live otherwise there had been no other instance of live telecast. The report does not reveal who decided live telecast using sophisticated gadgets that need at least three-day rehearsal. The report does not recommend any action against any person. It only recommends adoption of some procedures for future telecasts like use of auto cue teleprompter by experienced persons, sufficient load time and involvement of only one coordinator from the PM House. The dismissal of Nadeem took place at 1:30 am on July 21. Almost the same time, some private channels (not Geo) ran a strip and next day's newspapers carried it. When contacted, Shahid Nadeem said that Dr Shahid Masood congratulated him from USA and invited him to have a cup of tea with him after his return on July 28 but Nadeem is still waiting to join. The story took another turn when the MD said that his appointment was irregular as it had been done by former MD at a time when there was a ban on government recruitment. A TV official told this correspondent that it is an after-thought as Dr Masood never raised this issue before July 20 though he had assumed the charge more than three weeks ago and terminated him only after the PM speech. The PM's approval of Shahid Nadeem's appointment is w.e.f June 4 when he originally assumed the charge of DMD.