Islamabad High Court (IHC) has summoned Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in his personal capacity over the delay in the appointment of the Finance Member to the Telecommunication Appellate Tribunal.
Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kiani, who is presiding over the case, issued the directive and informed the Prime Minister that he must appear before the court on May 18 to explain the delay in this important appointment.
The case concerns the failure to appoint a Finance Member to the Telecommunication Appellate Tribunal, which plays a crucial role in hearing appeals against decisions made by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA). Justice Kiani emphasized that the Finance Member must be appointed by the May 18 deadline.
If the appointment is not made by then, the Prime Minister will be required to explain the reason for the delay.
In addition to Prime Minister Sharif, the court also instructed the Secretary and the Cabinet Secretary to appear at the hearing. The court’s intervention came after the appointment of retired judges as members of tribunals, a practice that has drawn criticism from Justice Kiani. He remarked that retired judges often take up such roles, even though their tenure in these tribunals has caused more harm than good.
Justice Kiani further expressed his discontent over the frequent appointment of retired judges to tribunals, commenting that they seem to have a peculiar fondness for such positions.
He humorously pointed out that some retired judges appear to be driven by a desire for the salutes they once received, which keeps them active in these roles long after their official retirement.
The Telecommunication Appellate Tribunal, established in January 2024, was designed to expedite legal disputes in the telecom sector by reducing the time taken to hear appeals against PTA decisions. The tribunal’s structure includes a Chairman, two technical members, and a Finance Member. The Chairman, former Lahore High Court judge Justice Muhammad Tariq Abbasi, was appointed in February 2026.
Imad Memon has been designated as one of the technical members. However, the position of Finance Member remains vacant, delaying the tribunal’s full operational capacity. The tribunal was created to resolve telecom disputes within 90 days, but the vacancy has raised concerns about its ability to function effectively.
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