Government fails to give extension or appoint PTA officials

The government has failed either to give extension or appoint new chairman and Member (Finance) of Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), after their tenure expired on November 13, 2017 and September 26, 2017 respectively. Official sources revealed that a summary had been submitted to the cabinet for giving extension to both the officials, which was likely to be considered next week. However, sources revealed that some anonymous letters were written to Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal and other members of the committee constituted by the federal government, while allegedly raising several questions on their credibility. That might result in further delay in decisions, sources added.
The five-member committee constituted by the federal government had approved extension to former Chairman PTA Dr Syed Ismail Shah and former Member (Finance) Tariq Sultan for the next four years term. The five-member committee headed by Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal met on October 17, 2017. The committee comprised secretary information technology, additional secretary Law Division, additional secretary Establishment Division, and additional secretary Cabinet Division while it was chaired by the interior minister.
As per the rules, all members of the authority will be appointed for a term of four years and will be eligible for reappointment for a similar term with the approval of the Prime Minister, provided the performance of the chairman/members is found satisfactory by the committee notified. The federal government will appoint a member to be the chairman of the Authority from amongst the member(s) with the approval of the PM. The chairman PTA has completed his four years term on November 13, while Member Finance completed his four years tenure on September 26, 2017 in the Authority. In case Member Finance is not given extension, he would stand retired as he has resigned from the post of director general in PTA. The first tenure of four years of Member Enforcement Abdul Samad would be completed in June 2018.