Abuse of law: Settlement commissioner stopped from work

The Supreme Court of Pakistan (SCP) on Monday stopped the chief settlement commissioner and deputy and assistant settlement commissioners of the Revenue Department from work. The two-judge SC bench was hearing a petition regarding irregularities in the settlement department. Chief Settlement Commissioner Saqib Aziz and Revenue Secretary Tariq Mahmood Zafar appeared before the court. The counsel for the department told the court that the officers’ postings had been notified and that they were supposed to decide the cases being remanded by the high court. Justice Mian Saqib Nisar questioned the legal basis for officer’s positing. He said, “if the relevant law has been revoked then in what capacity are the officers still functioning?” The bench observed that the chief settlement commissioner and other officers could not exercise powers under a repealed law. The bench also requested the SCP chief justice to form a three-judge bench for further hearing of the petition.