Commission to probe PQA appointments rejected

SC shoots down AGP's proposal to form a commission on investigating illegal appointments to Port Qasim Authority.

ISLAMABAD:

The Supreme Court shot down on Tuesday Attorney-General of Pakistan (AGP) Maulvi Anwarul Haq’s proposal to form a commission for investigating illegal appointments to the Port Qasim Authority (PQA).

The court also warned ports and shipping secretary, chairperson and deputy secretary of the PQA to appear in person at the next hearing, failing which the court will initiate contempt of court proceedings against them.

Seventy per cent of the appointees are close relatives of ex-federal minister for ports and shipping Babar Khan Ghauri while the rest were recommended by influential people, the bench observed.

Former PQA secretary Abdul Jabbar Memon who challenged the appointment of federal industries minister Makhdoom Amin Fahim’s brother-in-law Mahmood Zameer Farooqi as PQA deputy secretary, submitted that despite the court’s order many employees have been regularised in PQA.

The bench observed that it would take notice of the violation. Memon requested the court to pass an order for implementation of PM’s directive promoting him to the post of PQA secretary.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 27^th, 2011.