LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Thursday directed the federal government to appoint new chairman of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) within 30 days as four-year term of the present incumbent stood expired.

Justice Shahid Karim passed the order disposing of a petition moved by a lawyer challenging the extension given to PTA Chairman Ismail Shah despite expiry of his fixed tenure.

Advocate Sheraz Zaka had argued that the term of present chairman had expired as he was appointed for four years as mentioned in Section 3 of the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority Act 1996. He said as per law,the federal government was supposed to appoint new chairman after fouryear term expiry but it did not advertise the post and illegally extended the tenure of the respondent.

He asked the court to set aside the extension given to the respondent and order the government to appoint new PTA chairman strictly in accordance with law.

During Thursday`s hearing, a deputy attorney general told the court the post of the PTA chairman had been advertised and the process would be completed soon.

In the light of the undertaking, Justice Karim disposed of the petition with a direction to the government to appoint the new chairman within 30 days in a transparent manner after meeting legal formalities and merit.