Illegal appointment: Sindh AG assures removal of Murtaza Wahab

Due to Wahab's appointment being declared illegal, he may soon be removed from office


Our Correspondent January 27, 2017
Murtaza Wahab Siddiqui. PHOTO: FILE

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) was assured on Friday by the provincial advocate-general Zamir Ghumro that Barrister Murtaza Wahab will be removed from the post of the adviser to the provincial chief minister (CM) on law.

The process of Wahab's denotification, in compliance of the court's order, was delayed because of CM Syed Murad Ali Shah's visit to Hyderabad.

Headed by Chief Justice Sajjad Ali Shah, the two-judge bench directed Ghumro to submit details of the salary that was allegedly drawn by Wahab during the last two months after the court declared his appointment as illegal.

Earlier, the judges had expressed their displeasure over failure of the CM in de-notifying Wahab after the passage of two months since the court had nullified his appointment on the post of the adviser.

Later, Ghumro informed the bench that since the CM was in Hyderabad, the process of Wahab's denotification as adviser could not be completed.

Visibly irked by the attitude of the concerned provincial authorities towards the compliance of the court's orders, CJ Shah asked the advocate-general to immediately summon the chief secretary to explain their non-compliance.

The bench briefly adjourned the matter and later, the chief secretary appeared, along with Ghumro and informed that the CM had arrived from Hyderabad and assured that the process of de-notification would be completed on Friday (January 27).

However, the petitioner, Fareed Ahmed Dayo, pointed out to the court that for the last two months, Wahab had also been drawing monthly salaries and perks.

The bench directed the chief secretary and Ghumro to submit a notification regarding the de-notification of Wahab on January 31 when the matter will be taken up once again. They were also directed to place before the court a record as to whether any emoluments had been paid to Wahab after the court's judgment.

On November 22 last year, the bench had declared that exercise of powers, and perks and privileges enjoyed by the advisers to the CM was a violation of the constitutional and other legal provisions.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 28th, 2017.

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