LAHORE: Crisis in the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) has deepened as Chairman Chaudhry Rashid Ahmed questioned the legal status of two members of a three-member committee authorised to look after affairs of the authority.

In a letter to all Pemra members, a copy of which is available with Dawn, the chairman said: “Two members, Pervaiz Rathore and Israr Ahmed Abbasi, of the three-member committee assigned by the authority to look after affairs of the organisation hold questionable status with regard to restraining the chairman’s secretariat from normal functioning. Mr Rathore has been appointed member on a ‘need basis’ while Mr Abbasi is also believed to have been appointed on verbal recommendation of the former Pemra chairman because otherwise there is no quota of representation in Pemra from Gilgit-Baltistan.”

The chairman said: “I will like to refer to the Supreme Court’s decision in Mumtaz Shah vs NPT case wherein it was held by the court that the orders passed by the acting chairman or chairman assigned on a look-after basis (in the case of Pemra the three-member committee) are null and void with regards to the orders earlier passed by the regular chairman appointed by the president under the NPT Ordinance.”

He asked the three-member committee not to disturb the chairman’s secretariat by posting out its officers and staff without his concurrence.

The Pemra chief had been unceremoniously removed by the PML-N government, but the court restored him. Later, he had gone on what some members called “forced leave”.

In the meantime, Pemra officials formed a three-member committee comprising Pakistan Telecommunication Authority Chairman Dr Ismail Shah, Pervaiz Rathore and Israr Ahmed Abbasi to run affairs of the authority after stripping Rashid of administrative powers.

It was expected that following in the footsteps of Tariq Malik, former National Database Registration Authority head, Rashid too would resign under pressure. However, he recently assumed charge. In the letter, Rashid made it clear that the chairman was not subordinate to the members of the authority.

“The chairman’s secretariat cannot be closed or disturbed by the three-member committee as I am still functional as the chairman.”

In another letter, Rashid raised a question on handing over of additional charges to Director General (Admin) Sardar Irfan Ashraf Khan.

“Mr Khan has been assigned the work of four directors general. I wonder how he will be able to do justice with the other three wings,” he added.

Regarding the functioning of different wings in Pemra, the chairman said: “Withdrawal of delegated powers of the chairman and the executive member under DoP-2009 decided by the authority in its 89th meeting on Jan 31, 2014, did not at all stop different Pemra wings from national functioning or declaring that there is no chairman of the authority. These wings should continue their normal functioning and sending cases/files to the chairman for official disposal as per law in the interest of the organisation.”