News
Friday, June 01, 2012
SC wants Hajj scandal investigation officer back* Court orders establishment, interior secretaries to implement its orders till June 5 or get ready for action
By Hasnaat Malik
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Thursday expressed annoyance over interior and Establishment Division secretaries for not implementing the court orders pertaining to cancellation of transfer notification of Gilgit-Baltistan IG Hussain Asghar.
The court ordered to present the notification regarding cancellation of Asghar’s transfer by June 5 otherwise both the secretaries would have to submit written explanations.
It is to be noted that FIA Director Hussain Asghar, who had been investigating the Hajj corruption case, was appointed inspector general of Gilgit-Baltistan Police after FIA DG Malik Iqbal wrote a letter to the Interior Ministry.
A three-member bench, headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and comprising Justice Jawwad S Khawaja and Justice Khilji Arif Hussain, was hearing a suo motu case of corruption during Hajj in 2010.
The chief justice took suo motu notice on the complaints of three MNAs, two senators, a letter written by Prince Bandar Bin Khalid Bin Abdul Aziz-Al-Saud and applications received by Justice Khalilur Rehman Ramday from different pilgrims during Hajj. During the proceedings, the CJP said on August 21, 2011, and May 2, 2012, the court had directed the federal government to present the cancellation notification of Hussain Asghar, which had not been implemented so far. The CJP said the interior secretary was given specific directions to sort out the matter soon.
During the hearing, the court asked Deputy Attorney General Muhammad Shafi Chandio to explain the non-implementation of its orders. FIA Director (Legal) Azam Khan wanted to reply on behalf of the interior secretary. The court, however, stopped him, saying he could not represent the secretary, adding the FIA should function within its jurisdiction.
The CJP said Asghar was an employee of the government therefore he should be brought back. He said that the then Establishment Division secretary Sohail Ahmed had informed the court that the notification for Asghar’s transfer had been cancelled, but the interior secretary had not implemented it, and the issue had been pending for several months.
Ahmed had told the court on July 26, 2011, that Asghar would forthwith relinquish the charge of Gilgit-Baltistan Police inspector general and some other officer would replace him.
The bench noted that its orders of August 21, 2011, and May 2, 2012, had not been implemented. Further hearing was adjourned until June 5.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk