ISLAMABAD: Over three-and-a-half years on, the top position of print media regulator – chairperson Press Council of Pakistan (PCP) – awaits to be filled.

The PCP is an autonomous body under the administrative control of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and is responsible for coming up with an ethical standard for print media.

The last PCP chairman, Salahuddin Mengal, completed his three-year tenure in July 2019, and since then the position is lying vacant.

The process to appoint another chairman was initiated by the PTI government, however, it could not be completed.

According to documents available with Dawn, the incumbent government has also started the induction process and finalised the names and pay scale for the PCP chairman.

Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb approved a summary for the appointment of PCP chairman on Nov 1, 2022 and forwarded the names of three short-listed candidates along with their curricula vitae (CVs) and assessment of the selection board to the Prime Minister’s Office.

The names in the summary are of three senior lawyers - Arshad Khan Jadoon, Mohammad Akram Khaksar and Dr G.M. Chaudhry.

The board awarded 295 marks to Mr Jadoon, 278 to Mr Khaksar and 267 marks to Mr Chaudhry.

The summary stated: “The prime minister is requested to advise the president to appoint a suitable candidate as Chairman PCP.”

The Establishment Division on Nov 24 forwarded the summary to Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister Dr Syed Tauqir Hussain Shah along with the recommendations of the Finance Division regarding fixation of pay scale for the said post.

It said: “When a case is to be decided by the president at his discretion, the division concerned shall submit the ccase through the prime minister in the form of self-contained, concise and objective summary as summary for the president.”

The Establishment Division suggested to the information ministry to initiate the summary for the president.

The summary is currently still pending at the PM Office and as a result, the print media regulator remains to be dysfunctional.

Sources said that an influential federal minister has stopped the summary as he wants to induct someone of his choice on the position.

Published in Dawn, April 27th, 2023