A five-member bench of the Supreme Court, headed by the chief justice, was hearing the suo moto case regarding corruption in Haj arrangements in 2010. The other members of the bench are Justice Mian Shakirullah Jan, Justice Khilji Arif Hussain, Justice Tariq Parvez and Justice Amir Hani Muslim.In compliance with the orders of the Supreme Court, the government on Tuesday reinstated FIA official Hussain Asghar to probe the Haj corruption case. Establishment Division Secretary, Sohail Ahmed, produced before the court the notification issued to restore Asghar as an investigation officer to probe the Haj scam.
In compliance with the Supreme Courts order of July 25, 2011, Hussain Asghar, a BS-20 officer of Police Service, presently posted as the inspector general, Gilgit-Baltistan Police, under Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Division, is transferred and posted as the FIA director under the Interior Ministry with immediate effect and until further order, reads the notification produced before the court.
At the hearing, the chief justice said all institutions were duty bound to comply with the courts order under article 190. If the chief executive, that is the prime minister, hampers the implementation of the courts order, he will also be dealt in legally.
Responding to a court query about whether Asghar will relinquish the charge of IG Gilgit-Baltistan Police immediately or have to wait for a substitute to take over, the Establishment Division secretary explained that as per the contents of the notification, the words with immediate effect indicated that he is to relinquish the charge as soon as the notification was delivered to him and that the secretary would also ensure that the IG Police charge was taken over from Asghar by some other officer.
The court in its order observed that it had time and again pointed out that the Haj scam case was unique in nature, since it involved large-scale corruption and had simultaneously sullied Pakistans image internationally.
Not only this, the government itself had to compensate pilgrims with the Rs460,000,000 which was looted from them by functionaries posted at that time. But now it seems that the government is not interested in recovering the amount from the looters and letting the case reach its logical conclusion, which is that whosoever is involved in this case, no matter how influential, must be taken to task, the court observed in its order.
Earlier, when the court resumed the hearing, Sohail Ahmed told the court that the summary regarding Asghars restoration had been sent to the competent authority but had not yet been approved. The court expressed dissatisfaction over this report and warned Ahmed to produce the notification by 11:30am or be ready to go to jail.
The court also took strong exception to the continued absence of FIA DG Tahseen Hassan Shah from the hearings. In this regard, Attorney General Maulvi Anwarul Haq told the court that the DG was out of the city and the Registrars Office of the apex court had been informed about this.
The court directed DG FIA to appear before the court today (Wednesday) to ensure that the investigation team working with Hussain Asghar had resumed its work, and was being facilitated in every possible manner. The court adjourned the hearing till today (Wednesday).
INP adds: Just twenty days after Sohail Ahmad was appointed the Establishment Division Secretary, the federal government has posted him to the charge of Officer on Special Duty (OSD). Importantly, the governments decision came just a few hours after Ahmed issued, in pursuance of the orders of the Supreme Court, a notification to restore FIA official Hussain Asghar to head the team formed to probe the Haj scam.
The Supreme Court, while hearing the Haj corruption case, had ordered Ahmed to produce the restoration notification of Asghar. If you fail to produce the notification, you will be sent to jail on contempt of court charges, the court had told Ahmed.
Ahmed took charge as Establishment Division secretary on July 6 and has been reappointed an OSD just 20 days after. APP adds: A government spokesman said Tuesday that the former Establishment Division secretary, Sohail Ahmed, had issued a notification to transfer Gilgit-Baltistan IGP Hussain Asghar which was in excess of his powers.
For the violation of laid down rules and regulations, the competent authority has made him an OSD, the spokesperson added. He said the Establishment Division had moved a summary to the competent authority for the transfer of the Gilgit-Baltistan IGP. The summary was under consideration and the opinion of the Law and Justice Ministry was solicited. In the meantime the former Establishment Division secretary himself issued the notification, which is in excess of his powers he added.
The spokesman said to appoint and transfer IGPs and chief secretaries, consultation between the chief executive of the province or region and federal administrative heads concerned was essential. Moreover, for appointment and transfers, the 1973 Rules of Business, Gilgit-Baltistan Empowerment and Self Governance Order 2009 and other related rules are also applicable.(www.columnpk.com)
