IHC suspends termination order of Pemra chairman | Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF)

Pakistan Press Foundation

IHC suspends termination order of Pemra chairman

Pakistan Press Foundation

ISLAMABAD: Justice Riaz Ahmad Khan of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) has suspended the termination order of Pemra Chairman Chaudhry Rashid Ahmad.

Ch Rashid will remain Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) chief as the court order reads: “Operation to the impugned order shall remain suspended till the next date of hearing.”

Counsel for Ch Rashid told the court that his client has yet not been provided with the termination notification, and he learnt about his dismissal through media reports.

Former Information and Broadcasting Secretary Ch Rashid was appointed as Pemra chairman on January 26, 2013, by the former Pakistan People’s Party government. The federal government on December 15 terminated his contract and appointed one Tehsin Ali Khan, a Pemra executive member as acting chairman.

Rashid challenged his termination before the IHC bench through his counsel Barrister Wasim Sajjad.The IHC bench here Monday after preliminary hearing issued notices to the respondents — Information and Broadcasting Secretary, Establishment Division Secretary, Pemra and Pemra acting chairman Tehsin Ali Khan.

Counsel for the petitioner, Barrister Wasim Sajjad, argued before the court that his client was appointed as Pemra chairman when the petition of former acting chairman Dr Abdul Jabbar was pending before the Supreme Court of Pakistan.

The former government then told the court that it has initiated a process for the appointment of a suitable person to head the regulatory authority.

Following proper procedure then federal minister for information and broadcasting finalised three names those were Dr Abdul Jabbar, Ghulam Murtaza Solangi and Ch Rashid Ahmed.

A summary was then forwarded to the prime minister to make a selection out of three. The prime minister then approved Ch Rashid Ahmad and former President Asif Ali Zardari appointed him to the slot.

Barrister Sajjad told the court his client belongs to the Information Group and his entire career was based on interaction with the media people.

He further argued that the post of Pemra chairman has been a tenure post of four years and under Section 6 of the Pemra Ordinance 2002, a head of this authority could only be removed for moral or physical incapacity to hold the office.

Barrister Sajjad told the court that his client was neither given any show cause notice nor was provided opportunity for hearing his point of view before terminating the contract of his appointment.

The counsel further said that this case is similar to the termination of Nadra chairman case where an IHC bench has also suspended the termination and reserved its judgment.The petitioner prayed to the court to set aside his termination notification and also the appointment notification of Tehsin Ali Khan as null and void. After issuing the above said order, the court put off in this matter with date in office.

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