appointed chairman of the state-run Pakistan Television (PTV), Dr. Shahid Masood, has adopted anti-PPP approach that has stunned the party leaders. Masood has told the senior PTV officials including the directors, anchorpersons and resource persons that he has been appointed with clear mandate therefore he is not answerable to any high ups in the Information Ministry, an official said. He has told further the PTV officials that Benazir Bhutto is now part of the past and she should be treated as such. Masood reportedly said in his first meeting with the PTV officials that the PTV was not the spokesman of the PPP. He said he suspended playing of special ‘Taranas' (poems) that were being aired to pay tribute to Ms Bhutto. He ordered to stop Ms Bhutto's photo exhibition put up for display in Islamabad on her recent birth anniversary. Federal Information Minister Sherry Rehman had directed the PTV to air all the programs relating to the birth anniversary of Ms Bhutto till June 30 but Masood opposed it and said that one-day coverage was sufficient to cover the event and PTV should not waste energy and resources on it. On the complaint of anchorpersons, he said the live programs would be the top priority of the PTV and the television should not give live coverage to Governors, Chief Ministers and other ministers. Masood said he himself would appoint the new Managing Director because he enjoyed full powers as head of the PTV. __
