SC to announce NICL verdict on Monday

A three-member bench of the apex court reserved its judgment on July 25.

ISLAMABAD:

The Supreme Court will announce its verdict on the suspension of additional director-general of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Zafar Ahmed Qureshi tomorrow (Monday).

Qureshi was tasked to investigate the multi-billion rupee land scam in the National Insurance Company Limited (NICL) and the case proved to be a major source of friction between the executive and the judiciary. A three-member bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, reserved its judgment on the issue on July 25.

Govt’s response not submitted

The court had ordered the Attorney General of Pakistan (AGP) to submit a written statement regarding the prime minister and the interior minister’s response to Qureshi’s suspension but it was not submitted.

Appearing on court’s notice, AGP Maulvi Anwarul Haq on July 25 had requested the court to grant some more time for submitting the prime minister’s response on why Qureshi was suspended and not reinstated despite the court orders. The court, however, rejected his request, noting that sufficient time had already been granted.

Earlier, the apex court, on July 1, had ordered suspension of the notification of transfer of Qureshi, ordering him to continue investigation into the NICL scam.

The government, on July 5, had suspended Qureshi within 72 hours of his reinstatement for talking to the media without a departmental authorisation.  The government also transferred four investigators associated with the case The Supreme Court, on July 6, took notice of Qureshi’s suspension once again but the government did not restore him.



Published in The Express Tribune, August 7^th, 2011.