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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 declared his appointment illegal.
Earlier today, as it announced its verdict on a petition which had raised questions on Alam's appointment, the high court had declared Alam's appointment as Pemra chairman to be illegal.
The court had reserved its judgement on a petition challenging the appointment of Alam, a senior journalist, as Pemra's chairman on November 29. The petition had been filed by a citizen, Munir Ahmad.
In the petition, Ahmad had said that Alam had been drawing Rs1.5 million salary a month whereas the post of Pemra’s chairman was equal to the MP-I (Management Position) scale. He had informed the court that the maximum salary for MP-I scale is Rs450,000.
Ahmad had said the appointment of Alam was an open case of nepotism and a violation of merit on part of the federal government.
In the last hearing of the case, when the court had reserved its verdict, Pemra's counsel, Ali Shah Gilani, had sought more time to furnish records relating to the appointment. The request, however, had been dismissed.
A notification issued by Pemra ─ and acquired by DawnNews ─ stated that Alam had resigned from his post immediately after the court's verdict was announced today. In its judgement, the high court has also ordered that a new Pemra chairman be appointed within 30 days.
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On DawnNews
Dec 18, 2017 11:27am
Good job Mr. Muir.
I wish there are more people like you.
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Dec 18, 2017 11:30am
Good, but not good enough. This minion another side kick of former, and disqualified prime minister must be forced to pay back all the monetary and other benefits he received so far. If his appointment was illegal then all financial gains during this appointment are illegal too and must be reclaimed.
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Dec 18, 2017 11:39am
This appointment was a glaring example of favouritism which is the hallmark of rulers. Excellent decision by the LHR.
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Dec 18, 2017 11:42am
I hope this could go further to ensure complete transparency and merit in all our national institutions at all level! InshaAllah!
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Dec 18, 2017 11:54am
good decision all heads with tainted image should be shown the door & men of integrity should be appointed to built our institutions .... this is the only way forward ...
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Dec 18, 2017 11:56am
Leaders who appoint such ineligible people should be held accountable ...
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Dec 18, 2017 12:05pm
Another politically motivated decision under the influence of third hand. There is no one in Pakistan more qualified to be PEMRA chairman than Absar Alam.
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Dec 18, 2017 12:13pm
I believe Pakistan will hardly be able to get any good profession. This is such a disturbing routine in Pakistan that as soon as you appoint anyone, they rush to the court who issues a stay order in a second, put the things in limbo for years and then reject appointments and the jugglery starts again.
Does any body think what happens to the institutions which run without their heads or where heads are under constant threat of courts.
There is a clear 'regulatory takeover' in Pakistan where courts frequently step over admn issues and try to take even management issues in their hands...a very bad precedent...........
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Dec 18, 2017 12:17pm
Thanks a lot LHC, such biased person should be trialed and punished.
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Dec 18, 2017 12:17pm
@UZA Syed Absolutey agree, however financial gains must be reclaimed from those who made the illegal appointment not from the appointee.
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Dec 18, 2017 12:23pm
Good job done by petitioner and Lahore hight court.
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Dec 18, 2017 01:10pm
It is the blatant violation of merit by the government which is responsible for non-functional public institutions and persistent losses incurred by the government owned companies - all at the cost of public exchequer.
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Dec 18, 2017 02:00pm
Great !!. Now PEMRA should be taken over by ISPR or the unknown callers who threaten its staff
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Dec 18, 2017 02:00pm
Whenever such decision comes I commend Imran Khan for his visionary declaration the Nawaz Sharif & company deliberately installed peoples of liking minus any creditably to meet his plan of no interference from any vital institution of the country. Current Judiciary did not fall prey to his plan.
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Dec 18, 2017 02:26pm
and the money please make him pay back the tax payers money please the Rs 1.05 million (10 lakh 50 thousand) extra per month for the total length of his employment must be returned to the nation
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Dec 18, 2017 02:30pm
Munir Sahab we need people like you. These vermins have destroyed merit in all depts and not just PEMRA. If there were honest resources available in bulk to investigate these atrocities; you would find nepotism taking over in all facets of life.
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Dec 18, 2017 02:40pm
Millions wasted on one appointment now multiply that by thousands of their other appointments and you can see the wastage caused by the experienced noon team.
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Dec 18, 2017 02:54pm
Send the entire work force home and call fresh applications for making new appointments for the posts falling vacant.
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Dec 18, 2017 03:32pm
Good Riddance.
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Dec 18, 2017 03:42pm
He was a very biased person. Finally got a well deserved justice.
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Dec 18, 2017 05:01pm
It is good step that he has stepped down and not opted to make appeal in SC. This has saved time and money.
In the presence of ministry of information, there is no role of PEMRA. This overlapping and amount to squandering tax payers money.
The government may look into it and close it down.
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Dec 18, 2017 05:46pm
LHC declares the appointment ILLEGAL. The appointee resigns. Should the episode ends here. To have comprehensive justice, as a layman I understand that salaries paid in excess of entitlement of the post must be recovered from the authority that decided the higher amount, legal actions should be taken against him for the illegality committed and be disqualified if he is an MNA as he is proven not being Sadiq and Ameen..
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Dec 18, 2017 06:02pm
The person who appointed him not following the rules should step down as well .
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Dec 18, 2017 06:23pm
Absar was not eligible for the post.he was holding the position illegally.he was not entitled for any payments and facilities.i request the hon'ble court to order for recovery of money paid and cost of facilities given to him please.
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Dec 18, 2017 06:26pm
The chairman was a corrupt person. Thanks to the judges that the nonsense was gone.
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Dec 18, 2017 06:32pm
NAB should investigate the case.
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Dec 18, 2017 07:06pm
he paid the price for going against Bol ...and acting against channel 92 during the recent dharna
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Dec 18, 2017 09:39pm
The Ex-PM has also made the appointment of a large number of Ambassadors/High Commissioners at Pak Missions abroad. These individuals who have been drawing handsome salaries plus fringe benefits from the national exchequer. The records of all such political appointees should be scrutinized to ensure if their appointments were made on merit.
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Dec 18, 2017 10:34pm
Complete justice will be when the person who appointed this guy is brought to justice, also all the decisions this guy have taken are null and void and all the benefits paid to this guy is returned to the public funds.
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Dec 18, 2017 10:52pm
Good decision to step down.
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Dec 18, 2017 11:38pm
Unbelievable!!!
How can you resign when you have already been disqualified (fired) by one of the highest courts of the land?
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Dec 18, 2017 11:53pm
He should be reprimanded and all funds he has awarded himself clawed back!
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Dec 19, 2017 01:21am
@Kabeelakhan we already know MR. good riddance stepped down, that was 3 weeks ago.
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