The Islamabad High Court has ordered the immediate removal of Major General (R) Hafeez Ur Rehman as Chairman of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), declaring his appointment unlawful and engineered to benefit a preselected candidate.
The verdict followed a petition by digital rights activist Usama Khilji, who revealed that Rehman initially entered PTA through a newly created post not defined in the original rules.
In a detailed 99-page judgment, Justice Babar Sattar criticized the irregularities, stressing the need for transparency and merit in public appointments.
The ruling also highlighted PTA’s key role in safeguarding digital rights, consumer protection, and fair telecom regulation. Until a new chairman is named, the senior-most PTA member will serve as acting chairman.
The decision has sent ripples through Pakistan’s telecom and bureaucratic sectors, raising serious concerns about governance and accountability in regulatory bodies
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