IHC rubbishes Rao Tehseen's appointment, restores Rashid Ahmad as PEMRA chief
Court declares the notification to appoint Rao Tehseen void.
Rashid had been appointed chairman of the government’s media watchdog on January 28, 2013, by former president Asif Ali Zardari under Section 6 of Pemra Rules.
ISLAMABAD:
Islamabad High Court on Thursday declared void the notification to appoint Rao Tehseen as Chairman of Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA), restoring Chaudhry Rashid Ahmad to the post, Express News reported.
Rashid Ahmad was removed from the post of chairman last week after the Federal Minister for Water and Power Development Khawaja Asif had challenged Rashid’s appointment by the former government in the Supreme Court.
Rashid had been appointed chairman of the government’s media watchdog on January 28, 2013, by former president Asif Ali Zardari under Section 6 of Pemra Rules. This was after a ruling by the apex court barred the acting Pemra chairman Dr Abdul Jabbar from holding office.
Khawaja Asif argued that the appointment was not carried out in accordance with the January 15 order of the Supreme Court regarding the vacant PEMRA chairman’s office.
The government then issued a notification appointing Rao Tehseen as acting chairman of the body.
On the night of December 16, the IHC declared Rashid's dismissal null and void.
It has now truncated the notification of Tehseen's appointment as well.
PEMRA chief accused of malpractice, harassment
On the other hand, the Pemra Officers Welfare Association (POWA) is accusing the Rashid Ahmad of fabricating cases against them and threatening them with dire consequences.
In a statement issued by POWA’s secretary-general Amjad Ali, he claimed the chief of the media regulatory body, Chaudhry Rashid Ahmed, has been threatening its members ever since he was reinstated. The threats are being issued by Ahmed’s relatives and supporters who are illegally employed in the organisation, he added.
The statement listed the ‘unfair practices’ of the Pemra chairman, including the harassment of regular officers in private and through courts to threaten them to keep mum regarding his unlawful acts, such as the regularisation of his associates and well-wishers against the decision of the federal government.
He also purchased official vehicles banned by the federal government and made exorbitant payments to private counsels without any authority or licensing.
Islamabad High Court on Thursday declared void the notification to appoint Rao Tehseen as Chairman of Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA), restoring Chaudhry Rashid Ahmad to the post, Express News reported.
Rashid Ahmad was removed from the post of chairman last week after the Federal Minister for Water and Power Development Khawaja Asif had challenged Rashid’s appointment by the former government in the Supreme Court.
Rashid had been appointed chairman of the government’s media watchdog on January 28, 2013, by former president Asif Ali Zardari under Section 6 of Pemra Rules. This was after a ruling by the apex court barred the acting Pemra chairman Dr Abdul Jabbar from holding office.
Khawaja Asif argued that the appointment was not carried out in accordance with the January 15 order of the Supreme Court regarding the vacant PEMRA chairman’s office.
The government then issued a notification appointing Rao Tehseen as acting chairman of the body.
On the night of December 16, the IHC declared Rashid's dismissal null and void.
It has now truncated the notification of Tehseen's appointment as well.
PEMRA chief accused of malpractice, harassment
On the other hand, the Pemra Officers Welfare Association (POWA) is accusing the Rashid Ahmad of fabricating cases against them and threatening them with dire consequences.
In a statement issued by POWA’s secretary-general Amjad Ali, he claimed the chief of the media regulatory body, Chaudhry Rashid Ahmed, has been threatening its members ever since he was reinstated. The threats are being issued by Ahmed’s relatives and supporters who are illegally employed in the organisation, he added.
The statement listed the ‘unfair practices’ of the Pemra chairman, including the harassment of regular officers in private and through courts to threaten them to keep mum regarding his unlawful acts, such as the regularisation of his associates and well-wishers against the decision of the federal government.
He also purchased official vehicles banned by the federal government and made exorbitant payments to private counsels without any authority or licensing.