Hajj corruption case SC gives government two weeks to repost Asghar
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Tuesday granted another two weeks to the federal government to repost Hussain Asghar as the additional director general of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to resume probe into Hajj arrangements corruption case.
The court also directed Babar Awan, who is representing Interior Secretary Siddique Akbar, to expedite the implementation of the court’s order.
The court told the interior secretary that if Asghar did not come back then cancel his transfer. The interior secretary apprised the Supreme Court that Hussain Asghar had refused to return from Gilgit-Baltistan where he was serving as the inspector general of police.
A two-member bench of the Supreme Court, consisting of Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and Justice Ghulam Rabbani, expressing its displeasure over the stance taken by the official, directed Babar to expedite process for return of Asghar within two weeks.
The chief justice questioned the interior secretary as to why he was not bringing Asghar back.
He said the Supreme Court was not asking him to fight with the government of Gilgit- Baltistan but devise a mechanism to bring the officer back.
Replying to Babar’s request, the chief justice said that he had gone through a report submitted by the secretary but it was not a way that an officer had refused to return. He observed that a notification over his reposting had already been issued.
“Get him back and we will see how he refuses,” he added.
Babar apprised the bench that there was a procedure for withdrawal of an official from a province and the court was not informed about it in the beginning.
The chief justice replied that it was the government’s job to complete the process.
Babar said that in Gilgit-Baltistan, they had their own government and parliament. Besides, the provincial autonomy was also intact which must be taken into consideration.
The chief justice remarked, “It is not our job to enter into that territory. The Supreme Court is not subordinate to the chief minister of Gilgit-Baltistan.”
He said that if the officer refused to return then they (the court) would pass an appropriate order changing his cadre and by placing him permanently in the provincial service.
Babar said that they had implemented all orders of the court and requested for grant of time. Upon his request, the bench adjourned hearing for two weeks.
Source: Daily Times
Date:8/24/2011
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