Zubair Qureshi
Justice Amir Farooq of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday issued notices to the government in a petition challenging appointment of Special Assistant to PM on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development Minister of State Zulfiqar Abbas Bukhari (Zulfi Bukhari) as chairman of Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC).
The federal cabinet in May last year had approved the appointment of Zulfi Bukhari as the chairman of the PTDC and later the decision was endorsed by the PTDC board as well.
Some 14 employees of the PTDC have challenged Zulfi Bukhari’s appointment terming it unconstitutional and beyond the federal cabinet’s jurisdiction.
Hafiz Arfat and Kashifa Niaz Advocate appeared on behalf the petitioners before the court praying the court to set aside Mr Bukhari’s appointment as Chairman of the PTDC.
They said the matter was shifted to provinces after 18th amendment and federal government has no authority to appoint chairman PTDC as the powers for his appointment rested with the board.
Apart from Zulfi Bukhari’s appointment, formation of National Tourism Coordination Board has also been challenged and the court issued notice t the parties.
Justice Amir Farooq during the hearing asked under which law national tourism board was formed.
The court later directing the government to submit reply within 15 days adjourned hearing.
