News @ 3 - 4th June 2018

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday ordered former Managing Director (MD) of Pakistan Television (PTV) Ata ul Haq Qasmi to appear before the court within four hours.

The court was hearing the suo moto case against the appointment of Ata ul Haq Qasmi as chairman and managing director of the state-run TV and the amount of salary and perks he received in both capacities.

The counsel of Qasmi, Ayesha Hamid argued before the chief justice that federal government has the prerogative to hire chairman PTV; however, courts don’t have the jurisdiction to evaluate that appointment.

To which, Chief Justice Saqib Nisar snapped “do you consider us fools that we should close our eyes and let the government do anything it pleases?”

Censuring the statement of Qasmi’s lawyer, the top judge stated that the matter of appointing PTV’s head comes under the purview of public appointment and thus the court can review it.

“The government violated rules and regulation to appoint Ata ul Haq Qasmi for the post,” the chief justice remarked.