ISLAMABAD: Hours before his imminent transfer from the Islamabad High Court (IHC), Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani warned that the high court would summon Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in a case concerning the non-appointment of the finance member of the PTA tribunal.

During the hearing, Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani warned that if the official was not appointed by May 18, the PM would be required to appear in person and explain the delay.

The court also directed the cabinet secretary and the law secretary to ensure their presence at the next hearing on May 18. However, Justice Kayani was transferred by the Judicial Commission of Pakistan a couple of hours after issuing the said order.

At the previous hearing, the assistant attorney general informed the court that a retired judge had been appointed as a tribunal member. However, Justice Kayani criticised the trend of appointing retired judges to tribunals, remarking that such practices had not been beneficial and that retired judges frequently seek positions in various tribunals.

Judge says he will seek explanation if PTA tribunal member not appointed by next hearing

In its written order spanning two pages, the court noted that the federal government had been seeking repeated adjournments over the last four hearings regarding the appointment of the finance member.

Granting a final opportunity, the court stated that failure to make the appointment by the next hearing would result in the PM being summoned in his personal capacity.

The court directed that, in case of non-compliance, the cabinet secretary and the law secretary must also appear and explain the obstacles in the appointment process. The federal government, once again requesting time, informed the court that the summary for the appointment had been returned after objections were raised.

It is worth noting that the Telecommunications Appellate Tribunal, established under the Telecommunications Appellate Tribunal Act 2024, was formally notified on September 28, 2024. However, the key position of the finance member remained vacant. The hearing has been adjourned until May 18, 2026.

Published in Dawn, April 29th, 2026