ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) suspended its single bench order for the removal of Major General Hafeez ur Rehman (retd) from his post as chairman of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA).
A Division Bench of the IHC comprising Justice Muhammad Asif and Justice Inaam Ameen Minhas on Thursday heard the Intra Court Appeal (ICA) by Hafeez ur Rehman challenging the verdict issued by Justice Babar Sattar wherein he had ordered the PTA chief’s removal over his “illegal” appointment to the position.
In his order, in a petition filed by digital rights activist Usama Khilji in 2023, Justice Sattar had ruled that the creation of a post for Member (Administration) in the PTA, and the subsequent appointment of Rehman as PTA chairman, were “unconstitutional, illegal and void ab initio.”
IHC orders removal of PTA chairman
Later, Rehman moved an ICA challenging the single bench’s order through his counsel, Advocate Qasim.
During the hearing, Wadud appeared before the court as the counsel for the PTA chairman, while Additional Attorney General (AAG) Salman Mansoor also presented his arguments.
At the outset of the hearing, Mansoor contended that “relief which was not even sought in the petition had been granted” in Justice Sattar’s order.
He contended that neither the rules were challenged nor a notice was issued to the attorney general. He added that issuing a notice to the attorney general was necessary in this matter.
The AAG further argued that a request not sought in a petition could not be considered under Article 199 (jurisdiction of high court) of the Constitution. He asserted that the court itself admitted that arguments were not completed when the judgment was reserved.
Addressing the PTA chairman’s lawyer, Justice Asif remarked, “You were given enough opportunity.”Wadud then came to the rostrum and said that it was questioned in the writ petition that the appointment of the PTA chairman could not be made, as the vacancy was wrongly advertised. He said that the rules were changed and the [federal] cabinet had given the approval, following which the appointment was made. He maintained that the rules were amended on March 25, [2023], after which the petition was filed.
After hearing the arguments, the court suspended Justice Babar Sattar’s verdict and reinstated Hafeez ur Rehman as Chairman of the PTA.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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