ISLAMABAD: A petition against the appointment of Naeem Bokhari as chairman of Pakistan Television (PTV) as well as other directors of PTV board including the acting managing director Shaheera Shahid has been filed in the Islamabad High Court (IHC).

IHC Justice Aamer Farooq will hear the petition on Friday (today).

The petitioner through his counsel Asif Gujjar challenged the appointment of Bokhari, Ms Shahid, retired Col Hassan Imad Mohammadi, Asad Ahmed Jaspal, Asghar Nadeem Syed and Waseem Raza Abid.

The petition termed the appointments in violation of various verdicts of the Supreme Court and the Islamabad High Court which laid down clear guidelines for such appointments.

The petitioner pointed out that contrary to the direction of the apex court, the vacancy has not been advertised in the press and the appointment has been made without inviting applications for the vacant position.

He said the federal cabinet had relaxed the upper age limit for 65-year-old Bokhari, without mentioning plausible reason in the minutes of the federal cabinet meeting.

The petition requested the court to set aside these appointments.

Published in Dawn, January 8th, 2021