Rashid barred from performing duty as Pemra chief

Islamabad High Court (IHC) Wednesday barred Chaudhry Rashid Ahmed from performing his official duty as chairman Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) till final decision of an appeal made by the federation. Resuming the hearing of federation's intra court appeal filed against restoration of Rashid by the IHC, a division bench of the court comprising Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui and Justice Athar Minallah suspended its earlier decision till final adjudication of the case.
Additional Attorney General for Pakistan Afnan Karim Kundi apprised the bench that the IHC restored Chaudhry Rashid as Pemra chairman subjected to findings of the government inquiry committee under the chair of federal secretary interior. Kundi said that committee has unfolded in its report that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was held in abeyance over the appointment of Chaudhry Rashid against the slot as some paragraphs of the summary sent to the prime minister for his appointment were expunged.
He further said that Chaudhry failed to observe the IHC directives of December 26, 2013 in the matter as he didn't appear before the inquiry committee in pursuance of court's orders, saying under the rules Chairman Pemra cannot perform duties other than the Authority but he was retired as civil servant. Kundi prayed the court to bar Chaudhry Rashid from performing duties as Chairman Pemra till final adjudication of the case in hand. Wasim Sajjad, the counsel for Chaudhry Rashid, contended that his client was removed from the slot of Chairman Pemra on December 2013 and was served a show cause notice for inquiry during June 2014.
Sajjad said he didn't know that some paragraphs of the summary sent to Prime Minister Mian Nawaz Sharif were expunged, saying a summary was totally a subject matter of the Establishment Division. Sajjad argued that Federal Interior Secretary failed to provide inquiry report to his client, adding that Chaudhry Rashid served for 35 years and there was no allegation of corruption against his client. After hearing the arguments of both sides, the bench reserved its judgement in the matter and announced it a little later, barring Chaudhry Rashid from performing duty as Chairman Pemra till final adjudication.