Lahore: (PPF) On March 24, the Lahore High Court (LHC) issued a notice to the federal government, seeking a response to a petition challenging the appointment of Ambreen Jan as the chairperson of the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA). The petition, filed by lawyer Munir Ahmad, raises concerns about the transparency of the recruitment process.

Advocate Azhar Siddique, representing Ahmad, argued that the appointment process was specifically tailored and significantly less stringent than the criteria used in previous selections for the same role in 2014 and 2018. Siddique highlighted what he described as “mala-fide” intentions on the part of the government, pointing out that the recruitment was unnecessarily delayed until after the tenure of the previous PEMRA chief, Mohammad Saleem Baig, had expired on September 30, 2025. The process only began on October 10, leaving a critical gap in the authority’s leadership.

The counsel further alleged that this delay was orchestrated to coincide with the retirement of Ambreen Jan from her role as a federal secretary, who herself was the “competent authority” responsible for conducting and supervising the appointment process. This, according to the petition, constituted a “colourable exercise of power” and called for a judicial review of the entire process.

Justice Khalid Ishaq issued a notice to the federal government, requiring them to submit a formal reply by the next hearing.

On February 11, President Asif Ali Zardari approved the appointment of Ambreen Jan as the new chairperson for PEMRA. This decision follows a recommendation from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who had earlier forwarded her nomination to the President after a parliamentary committee’s endorsement.

Jan, a former Information Secretary, steps into the role previously held by Mohammad Saleem Baig, who retired last year. This appointment marks her as the first female to lead the electronic media regulatory body.