ISLAMABAD: (DNA) – Muhammad Saleem Baig, senior officer and principal information officer, has been appointed as chairman of Pakistan Electronic and Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra). A notification has also been issued by the Ministry of Information in this regard.

The Supreme Court had directed the federal government on Wednesday to issue a notification of Saleem Baig as chairman PEMRA within two days. Attorney General for Pakistan Khalid Jawed informed a three-member bench, headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, that the search committee has finalized the name of Saleem Baig for the post of chairman Pemra.

Last month, President Mamnoon Hussain has approved a summary for the appointment of Baig as the chairman Pemra on the advice of then Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi. On the direction of Supreme Court, the three-member committee of the federal government had shortlisted candidates and Baig was on the top of the successful candidates. Muhammad Saleem Baig is an experienced officer of the Information Group.

Absar Alam, who was appointed chairman Pemra on December 1, 2015, had stepped down from his post on December 17, 2017 shortly after the Lahore High Court declared his appointment void. The federal government on April 16, 2018 had constituted a committee for appointment of chairman Pemra.

The committee was given six weeks to finalize the name for chairman Pemra.