ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Islamabad High Court (IHC) Justice Aamer Farooq on Tuesday summoned Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) Chairman Masroor Khan for writing a letter to CJ seeking a meeting with him.

Justice Farooq was hearing a case related to promotions of Ogra employees.

The Ogra’s officials filed the petition against the change of recruitment rules according to which those seats which previously could only be filled through departmental promotion were left opened for direct appointment from the private sector.

The matter was also taken up by the Senate Standing Committee.

The standing committee in a recent meeting directed the Ogra chairman to ask IHC to decide the case expeditiously.

Ogra chairman Khan wrote a letter to the IHC registrar conveying him the senate committee’s directions and asked him for deciding the petition at the earliest.

He also expressed desire to have a meeting with the IHC chief justice.

Advocate Shuaib Shaheen represented the petitioners.

During the hearing, IHC CJ Farooq diverted the attention of the counsel towards a letter written to him by Ogra chairman.

The judge expressed displeasure over this communication.

He remarked that the parliamentary committees had started arbitration whereas their core responsibility was legislation.

He asked the Ogra’s counsel to convey to the chairman that writing such letters to a judge is against the norms and sanctity of the constitutional courts.

Justice Farooq then summoned the chairman Ogra in person for July 5 and adjourned the case.

Published in Dawn, June 21st, 2023