ISLAMABAD ( ABRAR MUSTAFA )
Mrs Anusha Rehman State Minister of Information Technology and Telecom faced an other set back by Islamabad High Court has granted a stay order against her order . The Minister has nominated a rubber stamp board of directors for Information Communication Technologies (ICT R&D Fund) that would act on her dictates and ignored real nominee of the data network operator, nominated by six operators who are contributors to ICT R&D Fund. The IHC has granted a stay order against this order.
There has been no CEO of the Fund for last two years. Present Government also failed to appoint a new CEO in last 10 months tenure. A junior officer of MOIT and a contract appointee, Mr. Yasir Qadir, actually working as Director Telecom in MP-II scale in MOIT was first given the charge of Member Telecom (MP-I) and then given the charge of Acting CEO of ICT R&D Fund. He also sits on the board of directors of PTCL and draws a hefty allowance in addition to his own salary and perks.
ICT R&D Fund has almost become dysfunctional for last two years and number of research projects executed by the Universities are suffering from lack of funds creating a havoc in the research community.
State Minister Telecom appointed Mr Naeem zamindar Ceo Watee Telecom as Ceo of ICT & R&D. Khawaja Saad Saleem challenge Minister decision in Islamabad High Cout. In his petition Mr Saad has been plea that Federal Government has only discretion to appoint the board member of the Board, there is particular procedure was followed, but in the present case, neither the procedure was followed nor the rules. The federal Government has violated the rules. It has futher been submitted that the basic purpose of whole exercise is to use fund of Board in illegal manner. It has also been submitted that even the previous government had carried out the same exercise and the matter was taken up before the Hon’ble Supreme Court of Pakistan. Justices Riaz Ahmad Khan Islamabad High Court issued order the Board would run day today affairs but would not take major decision till next date. Islamabad High Court also order to submits the comments within fortnight.