Names short-listed for appointment of PEMRA chief draw SC's ire

The Supreme Court on Thursday expressed displeasure over the persons short-listed for the appointment of chairman Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA). A three-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, was hearing a suo motu case on the Media Commission report.
Justice Ijaz-ul-Ahsan, a member of the bench, said the people who have been selected for the slot of chairman PEMRA do not seem to be eligible. "None of the people who have been short-listed qualifies for the post; therefore, you would have to re-advertise the post as they will deliver no good," he said and added the government would have to hunt the best person for the slot.
Principal Secretary to Prime Minister Fawad Hassan Fawwad said if the court is not satisfied with the names then the Prime Minister would be requested to reconstitute the search committee, adding the advertisement time is over and now they would have to give another advertisement.
The Chief Justice said they would not interfere in the executive matters and their remarks should not cause prejudice to the candidates short-listed for the post of chairman PEMRA. Secretary Information Ahmad Nawaz Sukhera told that the search committee comprising secretary Ministry of Information, additional secretary Establishment, additional secretary finance and joint secretary to Prime Minister Office had short-listed 15 names for the chairman PEMRA. Hamid Mir, a journalist, contended that there was no expert in the committee.
The information secretary said the Lahore High Court in the Absar Alam's removal case gave guidelines to the government for appointment of chairman PEMRA. He said the qualification for the candidate for the slot has been increased from BA to MA.
Earlier, hearing the matter the Chief Justice said they wanted an independent person as head of PEMRA and summoned Fawad Hassan Fawad to appear before the court at 2:30pm and bring the advertisement, summary regarding the composition of search committee and the list of candidates short-listed for the post of PEMRA chairman. Fawad Hassan in pursuance of the court order's appeared before the bench and said that the selection committee is yet to be constituted to finalize the name for chairman PEMRA.
He said that the committee would have two prominent personalities that would be approved by the Prime Minister. Justice Umar Atta Bandial said that in the appointment of the vice-chancellor of universities, private persons, besides government officials, were included in the committee. He said the government shall select right kind of people, adding the best people don't apply therefore the government would have to approach them.
At the outset of the hearing, the Chief Justice asked the petitioners, Hamid Mir and Absar Alam, to engage legal brain for giving recommendations for making amendments in the PEMRA law to make the body independent. The Chief Justice said they can't legislate as this is the job of the Parliament but can only strike down the provisions if they are in violation of the fundamental rights of the Constitution.
The court rejected the draft for amending PEMRA law. The Chief Justice said that they wanted the independence of PEMRA, adding if that will happen then other issues would also be resolved. Absar Alam, one of the petitioners, said that Senate and National Assembly committees are already working on these issues. He said that the aim of their petition was the accountability of secret funds at the disposal of the Information Ministry. The case was adjourned till Monday.