Absar Alam quits after LHC nullifies appointment as PEMRA chief

Absar Alam quits after LHC nullifies appointment as PEMRA chief

Islamabad (Staff Report): Absar Alam on Monday stepped down from his post as chairman of the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) shortly after the Lahore High Court (LHC) declared his appointment illegal.

LHC judge Justice Shahid Kareem declared the appointment notification as null and void while announcing the verdict reserved on Munir Ahmed’s plea.

The court ordered the government to appoint new PEMRA chief within next 30 days.

Meanwhile, PEMRA lawyers sought more time to submit details of Alam’s appointment but court rejected the appeal.

Advocate Azhar Siddiqui had challenged Absar Alam’s appointment as PEMRA chief, alleging that new advertisement with low education requirements was published to hire him.

Federal government’s lawyer had denied the accusations and requested to dismiss the case over which the court had reserved the verdict.