ISLAMABAD – The Islamabad High Court has suspended the decision by Justice Babar Sattar that removed the chairman of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) from his position.
The decision came after a two-member bench, comprising Justice Muhammad Asif and Justice Inaam Amin Minhas, heard the intra-court appeal filed by the PTA chairman, Major General (Retd.) Hafeez-ur-Rehman.
The hearing saw the presence of the PTA Chairman’s lawyer, Qasim Wadood, alongside representatives from PTA, the federal government, and the Additional Attorney General. Both the PTA and the dismissed Chairman had filed intra-court appeals.
During the proceedings, PTA’s lawyer Salman Mansoor argued that the court granted relief not sought in the original petition and that prior to the chairman’s removal, neither the rules were challenged nor was the Attorney General given notice—something mandatory in such cases.
He further stressed that relief beyond what was requested cannot be granted under Article 199 of the Constitution.
Mansoor also pointed out that the court itself acknowledged that the entire debate on the matter was not complete, yet a decision was reserved without considering two pending applications containing objections. He noted that arguments on the petition’s maintainability were still due, but a final decision was made when the lawyers were on leave.
Justice Muhammad Asif questioned the lawyer, stating that sufficient opportunity had been provided during the proceedings.
After hearing the arguments, the court suspended the previous ruling by Justice Babar Sattar and reinstated Major General (Retd.) Hafeez-ur-Rehman as the PTA chairman.
