CJ IHC restrains Naeem Bokhari from working as PTV Chairman.

ISLAMABAD -- Chief Justice Islamabad High Court (IHC) Justice Athar Minallah on Thursday barred Shahzada Naeem Bukhari Advocate from working as Chairman Pakistan Television (PTV) Board and referred the matter to federal government again.

According to details, the hearing challenging appointment of Naeem Bukhari was conducted by Chief Justice IHC Athar Minallah on the petitions filed by Arsalan Farrukh and Shams Iqbal through Raja Muhammad Shakeel Abbasi and Asif Gujjar Advocates.

During proceedings, an authorized officer of Ministry of Information Mazhar Ali Memon appeared before the court on the directions of CJ IHC.

Court asked the ministry representative if there was any relaxation in age limit to which he replied that relaxation was given and two summaries were also sent to the cabinet in this regard.

Justice Athar Minallah remarked that the Ministry of Information is not authorized to appoint a chairman.

'Did you not read the Supreme Court's verdict? It is clearly mentioned in that verdict thata federal government cannot appoint chairman PTV. The appointment of Bukhari seems to be in violation of the verdict of the apex court,' Justice Athar said adding, 'This bench rarely interferes in executive's domain. You have not justified the relaxation of age limit. You sent a summary without reading the decision.'

The court noted that the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting had repeated the same mistakes as those in Ataul Haq Qasmi's case and had not perused the apex court's judgment when sending the summary to the federal cabinet.

In Thursday's hearing, Justice Athar Minallah questioned if the government had relaxed the age-limit prior to the appointment. To which, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting said two summaries were forwarded to the federal cabinet on November 13 and 26.

The judge remarked that the federal cabinet did not make a clear decision on relaxing the age limit, adding that Bukhari was a respected figure but 'no one was above the law'.

The ministry representative informed the court that the summaries contended Bukhari to be an experienced and worthy candidate for the post, adding that the federal cabinet had approved the summaries.

'Did you inform them of the apex court verdict? By omitting it, you are embarrassing the federal cabinet as well," observed the IHC chief justice.

Justice Minallah remarked that the court does not typically interfere in the executive's decision and directed the ministry to place a...