Saleem Baig will be new chairman PEMRA: report

ISLAMABAD - The Principal Information Officer (PIO) Mirza Saleem Baig is most likely to be appointed as the Chairman Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) as a summary with regard to his appointment for the post has been sent to Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi for approval.

Reliable sources said that a committee led by the Deputy Chairman Planning Commission of Pakistan Sartaj Aziz and comprising President All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS) Hameed Haroon, President Council of Pakistan Newspapers Editors (CPNE) Arif Nizami, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Dunya News Mian Amir Mehmood, and Acting Information Secretary Shafqat Jalil conducted the interview process for two days for the appointment of the Chairman PEMRA.

Sources said that Saleem Baig – who belongs to the information group of Pakistan services – emerged as the top contender for the post. They said that Sartaj Aziz also conducted the voting in the committee meeting to assess the capabilities of different candidates, which ended in favour of Saleem Baig as he secured votes of all committee members.

It is worth mentioning here that Saleem Baig also enjoys a special trust of the Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb.

Sources said that a summary containing three top names for the Chairman PEMRA has been sent to the prime minister, and it is likely that Saleem Baig will be assigned the task of heading PEMRA.