BHC suspends Pemra regional chief’s removal
Muhammad Ejaz Khan
QUETTA: The Balochistan High Court (BHC) on Thursday suspended the orders of the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) regarding repatriation of its ex-Regional General Manager (RGM), Gul Muhammad Kakar, from the Authority to his parent department i.e. the University of Balochistan.
The BHC passed the orders, suspending the office Order No. F4 (739)/2008-HR dated March 2, 2011, on a constitutional petition of Gul Muhammad Kakar, in which he had challenged the orders of Pemra regarding his repatriation to his parent department.
Kakar pleaded before the BHC that he was serving as Pemra Balochistan RGM on deputation and was pre-maturely repatriated to his parent department on March 2, 2011, merely for the reason that he refused to obey the illegal orders of executive member Pemra, Dr Jabbar, who was also looking after the charge of the chairman, Pemra office. Kakar prayed that he was working in Pemra in accordance with the government rules and regulations and the case of his absorption was also under consideration when during the 2011 cricket World Cup he was ordered by Dr Jabbar to influence the cable operators of his province to freeze and disturb the signals of Geo Super television. Kakar further prayed that as the Supreme Court and Islamabad High Court (IHC), in different judgements, had ordered that Pemra should ensure that no satellite channel except Geo Super broadcast the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 matches, therefore he refused to obey the illegal orders and instructed all cable operators to follow the SC orders.
Kakar further prayed that when he refused to obey the illegal orders of Dr Jabbar, the latter directly established contacts with the cable operators and influenced them to constantly shuffle the number of Geo Super channel on cable network and also disturb and freeze its signals.
Kakar prayed that after receiving public complaints that certain cable operators were disturbing Geo Super signals and broadcasting World Cup matches on an illegal Indian channel, Star Sports, he took legal action against them. He stated that only for this reason, he was removed from Pemra.
Kakar prayed that he had done everything to uphold the principles and respect of the judgements of the superior courts. He also prayed that Dr Jabbar, being an executive member of Pemra, was not a competent authority to repatriate him to his parent department. Therefore, he pleaded, the Pemra order dated March 2, 2011 should be declared illegal and void ab initio.
Source: The News
Date:5/20/2011
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