The federal government is likely to appoint chairman Pakistan Telecomm-unication Authority (PTA) today (Thursday) from the incumbent three members, well informed sources told Business Recorder. The present members of the authority are Muhammad Naveed, Member (Finance); Major General Amir Azeem Bajwa (retd), Member (Technical); and Dr Khawar Siddique Khokhar, Member (C&R).
The PTA was established under Pakistan Telecom-munication (Re-Organisation) Act, XVII 1996. According to Section 3(2) of the Act, the authority consists of three members, one of whom shall be a professional telecommunication engineer and other shall be a financial expert, to be appointed by the federal government, for a term of four years. Section 3(3) of the Act ibid provides that the federal government shall appoint one of the members to be the chairman of the authority.
In pursuance of section 3(2) of the Act ibid, the cabinet in its meeting held on December 27, 2018 approved the appointment of Major General Amir Azeem Bajwa (retired) and Dr Khawar Siddique Khokhar as Member (Technical) and Member (Compliance & Enforcement) PTA respectively. The Establishment Division has accordingly issued the notification on January 3, 2019.
Earlier, the cabinet in its meeting held on March 28, 2018 had approved the appointment of Muhammad Naveed as Member Finance PTA. The cabinet also directed to appoint Naveed as chairman PTA till the appointment of new Member (Technical), whereafter the matter of appointment of chairman PTA on permanent basis was directed to be submitted for consideration of the cabinet.
The sources stated that as the Member (Technical) has joined his assignment on January 3, 2019 in pursuance of the decision of the cabinet, the matter of appointment of chairman is required to be placed before the cabinet for a decision.