The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday reinstated Major General (retd) Hafeezur Rehman as chairman of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), suspending an earlier verdict that had ordered his immediate removal.
A division bench of the IHC set aside the single bench ruling by Justice Babar Sattar, which had declared Rehman’s appointment legally flawed and directed his dismissal.
The single bench decision, issued just a day earlier, had held that the appointment process did not comply with legal requirements and could not be upheld.
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Justice Sattar’s detailed verdict spans 99 pages and had proposed that a senior PTA member serve as acting chairman until a permanent, legally valid appointment is made.
Rehman had challenged the IHC decision following the single bench ruling. The original petition was filed by digital rights activist Usama Khilji through Advocate Asad Ladha, contesting Rehman’s appointment under the Ordinance of 1972.
Rehman argued that he was first appointed as Member (Administration) on May 24, 2023, and promoted to chairman the following day. Following the challenge, he filed an intra-court appeal.
After hearing arguments, the division bench suspended the single bench order and reinstated Rehman to his post, effectively allowing him to continue as the head of the telecom regulator.
