The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday stayed implementation on an earlier order validating recovering the amount drawn by the former PTV chief as percentage from the corporation’s monthly advertisement revenue.
Former PTV Managing Director Yousaf Beg Mirza allegedly drew three percent of the advertisement revenue from the state-owned entity.
A division bench of the IHC, headed by Chief Justice Muhammad Anwar Khan Kasi, resumed hearing of an intra-court appeal by Mirza against a decision of the single-member bench of Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui, who had declared Mirza’s appointment illegal.
During the course of the hearing, Naeem Bokhari, counsel for Mirza, apprised the bench that the impugned judgement was in violation of articles 4, 9, 10A and the principles of natural justice.
He said the learned judge had no jurisdiction to issue directions without a formal petition before him.
“The impugned judgement overreaches the pleading and prayers,” he said, adding that the direction to recover the amount from the appellant on the basis of a negotiated contract was unfair and unjust. He therefore prayed for suspension of the order.
Bokhari said he was neither allowed a fair trial nor due process was adopted. “The appellant was never put on notice qua his appointment in 2006, which ended on 21.6.2008 nor the appointment in 2010, which was to end in October 2013,” he added.
“The decisions relied upon by the learned judge were not applicable in the case of PTV. No qualifications were prescribed by any statue or rule for appointment of MD PTV,” he said.
Further proceedings were adjourned until next week.
