LAHORE: The Lahore High Court restrained on Wednesday the federal government from finalising candidate for the post of Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) director general till decision on a petition about the appointment process.

Zahoor Akbar, a joint director of the CAA, assailed the advertisement published by the government for the DG post.

Petitioner’s counsel Nabeel Javed Kahloon argued that the government set 62 years as maximum age limit for the eligibility of the candidates keeping the most senior serving pilots away from the appointment process.

He pointed out that a retirement age for pilots in commands was 65 years, whereas the maximum age limit for the CAA’s director general had been set 62.

The counsel stated that as per the advertisement a candidate having no experience of relevant field could also apply for the post, whereas the rules of the CAA said that only those having experience of aviation field could be appointed as head of the aviation authority.

The lawyer argued that the criterion mentioned in the advertisement was based on mala fide just to accommodate blue-eyed candidates. He asked the court to set aside the process for the appointment and order the government to re-advertise the post in accordance with law.

Justice Farrukh Irfan Khan issued notice to the government for May 23 and restrained it from finalizing any nominee for the post till decision of the petition. —Staff Reporter