WAF seeks removal of Munir Akram as Pakistan's permanent envoy to UN

Petition in Sindh High Court says reappointment violated Section 14(1) of the Civil Servants Act 1973

KARACHI: The Women's Action Forum (WEF) has sought the removal of Munir Akram as Pakistani’s permanent ambassador to the United Nations, terming his reappointment “illegal, unlawful, unconstitutional and liable to be struck down”.

Akram replaced Dr Maleeha Lodhi at the global body shortly after Prime Minister Imran Khan's campaign at the UNGA in September.

The petition, filed by WAF in the Sindh High Court, states that the reappointment violated Section 14(1) of the Civil Servants Act 1973.

The petition cited a Supreme Court decision in a suo moto case pertaining to corruption in 2010 Hajj arrangements, wherein it maintained that a retired civil servant could only be re-employed in an exceptional case.

Munir Akram replaces Maleeha Lodhi as Pakistan's ambassador to UN

It said that the superior courts have elucidated interpretation of the term ‘public interest’ by saying that the government cannot claim to be exempted from the obligation to follow any law, rules and regulations  “on some indefinite and undisclosed ground of necessity or expediency, nor can the Government unilaterally deviate from its legal obligation and justify such deviation on an ex-parte appraisement of the circumstances”.

“If the Government intends to justify an act on the ground of public interest, it is required under the law, to disclose cogent and definite reasons for carrying out such act,” the petition said. “The Government is bound to produce proper and adequate material in order to satisfy that overriding public interest justified execution of the same.”

In its petition, WAF stressed on the importance of a domestic violence accusation against Akram, and urged the court to “reflect on the impression this creates in the global environment, and also the impression made of the standards of behaviour reflective of official representatives”.

“To ignore one claim, especially at a time when women’s rights movements are pushing for ‘Believe Her’, is to present a poor image of Pakistan, a Pakistan that does not uphold women’s rights or understands the complexities of domestic violence claims.”

The petitioners have prayed to declare the reappointment illegal and permanently restrain Akram from performing duties of a UN permanent ambassador.