By Asif Naveed
ISLAMABAD; The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has declared the appointment of Major General (Retd) Hafeez ur Rehman as Chairman of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) illegal, ordering his immediate removal from office.
The verdict, authored by Justice Babar Sattar and spread across 99 pages, came in response to a petition filed by digital rights activist Osama Khilji.
Key Findings of the Court
- The appointment process of both the Member (Administration) and the PTA Chairman was unconstitutional and unlawful.
- The post of Member Administration was deliberately created, and its eligibility criteria were designed to accommodate a specific individual.
- The advertisement for the post was issued when PTA rules did not even mention such a position.
- The maximum age limit was arbitrarily extended to 61 years for the chairman, while it remained 57 years for other members.
- The selection committee chose Hafeez ur Rehman from a panel where he was ranked at the bottom on merit.
The judgment concluded that the entire appointment process was tainted with mala fide intentions. The court directed that Hafeez ur Rehman must vacate his office immediately.
Until the government makes a lawful appointment, the most senior member of PTA has been instructed to take charge as acting chairman.
