Chairman Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) Absar Alam resigned immediately after the Lahore High Court declared his appointment as illegal here Monday. The court in its short order directed the federal government to appoint a new incumbent within thirty days in accordance with law and merit policy. Shortly after the announcement, Pemra issued an official statement saying "Chairman Absar Alam has immediately abandoned his charge after the decision of the Lahore High Court."

A citizen, Munir Ahmad, had challenged the appointment of Alam as chairman of the Pemra for being made in violation of laws and based on nepotism. Advocate Azhar Siddique had represented the petitioner pleading that the respondent had been drawing a Rs 1.5 million salary per month whereas the post of Pemra's chairman was equal to MP-I (Management Position) scale. He said the maximum salary for MP-I scale was Rs 450,000.

He argued that the appointment of Absar Alam was a clear violation of merit. The lawyer stated that the government had relaxed educational criteria for the post to accommodate Absar Alam. He asked the court to set aside the impugned appointment for being unlawful. The court had reserved the verdict on November 29. Advocate Syed Ali Gillani representing the Pemra had defended the appointment of Absar Alam as a prerogative of the Prime Minster.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2017