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Court issues stay order against Dr. Shahid Masood, Pearl Communications

Hashoo Group’s dream to launch a TV news channel is likely to turn into a pipe dream as the project crash landed before it could even take off. Senior Civil Judge Karachi, Mrs Samina Ghouri, granted a stay order last week against the Pearl Communication on an application moved by Shahzad Nawaz, who was the Advisor to the President and CEO of the company. The grant of stay has, in all practical purposes, stalled the launch of the channel till the court appoints an arbitrator. Nawaz had approached the court after the Pearl Communications, a subsidiary sponsored by Hashoo Group, failed to fulfill its contractual commitments.

The stay order has stopped the Pearl Communication from taking any action regarding the progress of the channel, hiring of any new employee for creative and strategic execution including transfer of rights to any other person or persons till the company clears Rs 4 million plus dues of Nawaz.

Shahzad Nawaz is country’s top brand architect and has the magical skills of turning upcoming TV news channels to media market leaders with his artistic and marketing touch. Nawaz had knocked the door of court last week when Pearl Communications failed to pay his dues in time and put on display a high degree of non-professional attitude by refusing to answer his emails and reminders since January.

The contract between Nawaz and Pearl Communications was signed in Dubai and the international standing of the Hashoo Group is likely to get a jolt with this case in which Dr Shahdi Masood, CEO of the company, has been made a party. As a practitioner of Broadcast Industry, Nawaz is best known for having envisaged the brands and their launches, in Television in particular, Geo Network and Geo News, ARY News, Dunya News , PTV Home and PTV News. He also continues to do projects that have made societal impact, be it the film Khuda Kay Liyeh all the way to raising awareness for funding in UN or European Union General Assembly during the floods for Govt. of Pakistan. Launch of Charity brands such as MKRF’s ‘Pukaar’, the ‘Swat Kay Liyeh’ campaigns and the most recent ‘Imran Khan and MKRF Pukaar’ is his noticeable work in Cause related marketing.

On Monday last week, the court had issued notices to the respondents, including Masood, for their appearance in the court. Masood, however, did not appear in the court and hence the court had to order the pasting of summon notices on entrances of Pearl Continental Hotel Karachi—a venture owned and run by Hashoo Group all over the country including the Marriott Hotels. Despite this public embarrassment for Masood and Sadruddin Hashwani, Masood did not appear before the court. Hence the court issued a stay order to keep a status quo in favour of Nawaz. The next hearing is on March 21.

Barrister Mansoor Awan and Advocate High Court, G.N Qureshi represented Shahzad Nawaz in the court.

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