The Islamabad High Court on Tuesday cancelled the appointment of Managing Director Pakistan Television (PTV) network Mohammad Malick.
In his decision, IHC Chief Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui said that the Ministry of Information had failed to fulfill the legal procedure required for Malick’s appointment.
Siddiqui said that the commission set up by the government had forwarded the recommendations to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif regarding appointments on government positions. However, he said, the premier had ignored the recommendation of the commission and had appointed Malick as MD PTV who was second on the list.
He said that reports of the Intelligence Bureau regarding Malick were not positive and he had also been a defaulter in an advertising agency.
Justice Siddiqui also directed the government to appoint a new MD PTV while adhering to the rules and regulations of the organisation and the recommendations of the commission in this regard.
It is pertinent to mention that the IHC had issued notices to the Establishment and the Secretary Information and had sought their reply within 15 days with regards to the appointment which was challenged by former MD PTV Mustafa Kamal in the IHC on May 7.
It was mentioned in the petition that Mohammad Malick did not hold a Master’s degree which was an important requirement of the position.
It was also stated in the petition that Malick had been a defaulter of Rs 7,000,000 while he had been the head of his ad agency.