The federal government of Pakistan has appointed Major General (Retd) Hafeez Ur Rehman as a Member (Administration) of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA). There are indications that he may also be promoted to the position of chairman of the Authority.
The appointment was approved by the Federal Cabinet, which is chaired by Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, based on the recommendation of the Selection Committee led by Federal Minister for Defence Khawaja Asif.
Initially, Dr. Muhammad Amir Malik was the top candidate for the position, but he withdrew his application due to disinterest. The Islamabad High Court had previously halted the appointment process and instructed the government to refrain from further recruitment based on the advertised position. However, the court recently lifted the stay, and the federal cabinet subsequently approved Hafeez Ur Rehman as Member (Administration). The legal petition related to the appointment may still proceed.
The government aims to increase the number of PTA members to four, with existing positions for Members Technical, Finance, and Compliance & Enforcement. Traditionally, the Member Technical assumes the role of chairman.
However, the government has decided to expand the number of members. Meanwhile, the process for appointing a new Member (Technical) has faced delays, and the Cabinet Division is yet to start scrutinizing the candidates. The officials have assured that the scrutiny and shortlisting process will begin soon, but no timeline has been provided for the completion of the appointment of the Member (Technical).
