ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday sought reply on a petition filed against the appointment of two members of Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Authority (Peira) Imtiaz Qureshi and Waqas Mehmood.

After preliminary hearing, IHC Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani referred the matter to the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training with the direction to examine the appointments and adjourned the hearing till April 6.

The counsel for the petitioners adopted before the court that the appointment of Imtiaz Qureshi and Waqas Mehmood as Peira member was illegal and unlawful.

The counsel contended that both the appointments had been made in violation of the set procedure and without adhering to the prescribed rules.

The petitioner requested the court to declare the appointments illegal since they were made in violation of the PeiraAct.

The court, however, referred the matter to the ministry concerned and asked the competent authorities to look into the matter and correct the loopholes (if any) in two months.

Published in Dawn, January 14th, 2020