IHC sets deadline for tribunal post, warns PM of court appearance

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has directed the federal government to appoint a member finance to the Telecommunication Appellate Tribunal (TAT) by May 18, warning that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will have to appear in person if the appointment is not made before the next hearing.

The order was issued by IHC senior puisne judge Mohsin Akhtar Kayani while hearing a case concerning the continued non-appointment of the tribunal’s member finance.

According to the written order, the assistant attorney general informed the court that the summary for the appointment had been sent back by the government after objections were raised. The court noted that during the previous four hearings, the federal government had repeatedly sought more time to complete the process.

Giving what it described as another opportunity to the government, the court instructed that the appointment be completed before the next date of hearing. It further ordered that if the member finance is still not appointed, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, along with the cabinet secretary and the law secretary, must appear before the court and explain the reasons behind the delay.

The court also directed the cabinet secretary and law secretary to appear and clarify what obstacles were preventing the appointment of tribunal members.

Court observations during hearing

During the proceedings, the assistant attorney general told the court that a retired judge had been appointed to the tribunal. At this, Justice Kayani made sharp remarks about the role of retired judges in tribunals. "Retired judges seem overly eager to join tribunals. They cannot sleep at night because they keep thinking about slots. If one desires, he joins the National Industrial Relations Commission (NIRC), while another finds a place in some other tribunal." The IHC later adjourned the hearing until May 18.

About the tribunal

The Telecommunication Appellate Tribunal is a specialised judicial forum in Pakistan set up to speed up the disposal of disputes in the telecom sector and reduce the burden on the high courts.

The tribunal was operationalised in early 2026 under the Telecommunication Appellate Tribunal Act 2024 and was officially notified on September 28, 2024. It hears appeals against orders of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and is tasked with deciding them within 90 days.