ISLAMABAD:
The Supreme Court has given the attorney-general of Pakistan (AGP) one day to inform the court of the prime minister’s response regarding the formation of a commission to investigate the alleged violation of the service rules by lead investigator Zafar Qureshi, failing which the court will appoint a retired judge to determine the veracity of the charges.
The apex court has directed the secretary establishment to initiate disciplinary proceedings against Director General (DG) Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Tahseen Anwar Shah for committing contempt of court, the third in a row to be charged with the offence. Shah went on leave without reversing the transfer orders of the officials in defiance of the court orders.
The apex court had taken notice of the multi-million rupee scam in the procurement of land by the National Insurance Company Limited (NICL) in which intermediaries siphoned off the money and deposited cash in the bank accounts of prominent politicians, including PML-Q leader Moonis Elahi.
FIA’s acting head Manzur Chaudhry presented cancellation orders of the transfers of the four FIA officials investigating the NICL scam, all members of the lead investigator, Zafar Qureshi’s team, in compliance with the court’s directives.
AGP Maulvi Anwarul Haq contended that Qureshi wrote a letter to the authorities concerned and revealed the contents to the media which is a violation of the code of conduct.
The chief justice proposed the appointment of a judge to determine if there was violation of the code of conduct or if the lead investigator was suspended on account of political intervention. “If the government wishes to avoid an inquiry, it should reinstate Qureshi,” he reiterated.
The chief justice also took exception to the snail-paced investigation of the case and observed that action has yet to be taken against the perpetrator, referring to Amin Qasim Dada.
The court also directed that full security be provided to Qureshi.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 15th, 2011.
COMMENTS (2)
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Order must be respected issued by the apex court, government should maintain a good tradition in the history of the country.
Present chief justice of the apex judiciary is trying his best to putting the train on the track leading to the right direction.
What about the other perpertrators like the Director Audit Javed syed and others who are hiding in London? nothing against them?