Restoration of CCP chairperson, members: IHC reserves verdict on govt's intra-court appeal

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday reserved its verdict on an intra-court appeal of the federation against the restoration of chairperson Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) Vadiyya Khalil and two other members.

A two-judge bench comprising Chief Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Aamer Farooq heard an intra-court appeal against a single member bench's verdict.

The IHC chief justice remarked that the federal cabinet was authorised to appoint chairman of the CCP in accordance with the laid down rules and procedure.

Justice Aamer Farooq observed that how the powers of appointment on this post could be given to someone else.

The counsel for the petitioner, Barrister Ali Zafar said that Vadiyya Khalil had been removed from her position as the chairwoman CCP without serving any show-cause notice.

He contended that her appointment of the chairperson was made for a period of three years and she could not be removed before completion of her tenure.

Additional Attorney General Tariq Khokhar took the plea that it was not necessary to serve show-cause notice before termination, if the appointment was made in violation of law and procedure.

After listening to arguments made by both sides, the court reserved its verdict.

In October 2008, few months after coming into power, the government had removed Vadiyya as chairwoman CCP along with two other members. But the trio had approached the IHC and a single member bench comprising Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kiyani had turned down the decision, which the government challenged before the division bench.