News
Saturday, May 14, 2011
SC issues notices to FIA DG, two former officials
* Directs them to submit written statements
By Hasnaat Malik
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Friday issued show cause notices to Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Director General Malik Iqbal, former additional director general Javed Bukhari and former director Hussain Asghar for their disassociation from the investigation into the misappropriation in 2010 Hajj arrangements.
The court also directed the incumbent DG and two former officials of the FIA to submit written statements explaining why their cases not be sent to the competent authority for proceeding against them in accordance with the Efficiency and Disciplinary Rules.
The court noted that by transferring Javed Bukhari and Hussain Asghar, FIA DG Malik Iqbal had interfered in its affairs. A six-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, was hearing a suo motu case of the corruption in last year’s Hajj arrangements.
During the course of the proceedings, FIA Director (Legal) Azam Khan, while submitting Bukhari’s statement, told the court that he (Bukhari) had requested to be dissociated from the case with immediate effect as the court had shown dissatisfaction and displeasure over his performance in investigation of the case. He said Bukhari thought that the court had lost confidence in him.
He also informed the court that Hussain Asghar had consented for the post of Gilgit-Baltistan police chief, therefore, his case was forwarded to the Establishment Division for posting.
The court noted that the facts narrated by the FIA director (Legal) prima facie suggested that by transferring Bukhari and Hussain the incumbent DG had tried to interfere in the court proceedings.
The court observed that if an officer had made an admission about non-performance of satisfactory duty assigned to him and failed to satisfy the court, “in view of this, it seems that that person is incompetent and has no right to continue his position”.
“In view of Bukhari’s statement, it becomes mandatory upon the FIA DG, in command, that before processing his case for promotion he should have brought the matter to the knowledge of the court. Therefore, it shows his (DG’s) own efficiency,” the court further observed.
The court noted that Asghar had made reasonable progress in collecting evidences in the Hajj scandal, therefore, the offer made by the Establishment Division to appoint Asghar as Gilgit-Baltistan IGP should not have been allowed by the FIA DG. “He should not have spared a competent officer who was investigating an important case of corruption,” it observed.
Earlier, Establishment Division Secretary Chaudhry Rauf informed the court that the prime minister could not sign the summary sent to him for restoring Bukhari and Asghar to their previous posts in the Hajj case because he was preoccupied with issues of national importance after the Abbottabad operation. The court adjourned the hearing wsuntil May 27.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk