News
Thursday, September 06, 2012
Come to the dock or face arrest, SC tells MalikISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered Interior Minister Rehman Malik to appear in person in the next hearing of the contempt of court case against him, or else an arrest warrant would be issued against him.
A two-member bench comprising Justice Nasirul Mulk and Justice Ijaz Ahmed Chaudhry heard the case against Malik for changing an investigation team probing the Pakistan Steel Mills scam in 2010.
The court said the interior minister was not taking interest in the case. Justice Ijaz said that changing the FIA team was an intrusion in the court’s work as removing Tariq Khosa from the team caused damage to the inquiry.
Chaudhry Azhar, counsel for the interior minister, informed the court that due to some engagement his client could not appear before the bench, adding that a reply had been submitted. The court remarked that the issue of submitting a reply had become old as the judgement in the Pakistan Steel Mills corruption case had been announced. The court also questioned the interior minister’s counsel as to why his client had tried to influence the court’s proceedings.
In its judegment on the Pakistan Steel Mills case on May 16, a three-member bench had noted that Malik had interfered in the case by transferring former FIA DG Tariq Khosa in December 2009. He was also issued a notice. The bench had earlier rejected his reply to a show cause notice and decided to frame charges against him. Hasnaat malik
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk