IHC stops Naem Bukhari from working as chairman PTV

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday stopped Chairman Pakistan Television Naeem Bukhari from performing his duties and directed the Information Ministry to send a summary again to the cabinet for the appointment in light of the Supreme Court’s judgment.

Chief Justice Athar Minullah conducted hearing of the case against the appointment of Chairman PTV Naeem Bukhari. During the hearing, Deputy Attorney General Syed Tayyab Shah said that Attorney General Khalid Javed Khan would arrive and give arguments in the case.

The lawyer of Chairman PTV said that Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani was hearing a case already regarding the formation of the PTV board. He said that the matter of Naeem Bukhari was different from Ata ul Haq Qasmi who had been receiving heavy incentives while his client was not taking even salary.

The Chief Justice said that this case had no connection with the case being heard by the court of Justice Kiyani. It was a very simple question. There was a decision of the Supreme Court in this regard, the court said.

The court said that it was necessary to give the reason for relaxation in the appointment on top slot of PTV. The counsel for the Information Ministry said that the post was advertised under the second portion of the decision. He said that the top court’s decision was related to the formation of board.

The court inquired whether the ministry had given any relaxation in appointment pertaining to the age limit. On this occasion, a summary dated November 13, of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting was presented before the court, on which the court said that the decision of the top court was not read while preparing the summary.

The court noted that the same mistakes had been repeated which were done in Ata ul Haq Qasmi case. The lawyer said that the federal cabinet had approved this summary.

The Chief Justice remarked that cabinet should have been informed about the decision of the Supreme Court.

The court directed the ministry to send a new summary to cabinet regarding appointment of chairman PTV in light of top court’s judgment besides stopping Chairman PTV Naeem Bukhari from performing his duties. The court also directed to send the steps taken by Bukhari as chairman PTV to cabinet and adjourned hearing of the case.