IHC takes up petition against Akbar tomorrow

Petitioner asks court to set aside Cabinet Division’s July 22 notification

ISLAMABAD:

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) will take up tomorrow [Tuesday] a petition challenging appointment of Mirza Shahzad Akbar as adviser to the prime minister on accountability and head of the Assets Recovery Unit (ARU).

The petitioner, Syed Pervaiz Zahoor, has claimed that Prime Minister Imran Khan on July 22 appointed Akbar to the key position of an adviser –equivalent in status to a federal minister – in an “arbitrary and whimsical manner”.

He has urged the court to set aside his appointment ab initio from dates of his appointment with a full direction to declare the actions, decisions or exercise of any power under any law illegal. He has also called for recovery of all financial benefits from the adviser including salaries, allowances and perks.

Mirza Shahzad Akbar had been serving as the special assistant to the PM (SAPM) on accountability and interior since the PTI government came into power in August 2018.

However, on July 23, he was upgraded as an adviser to the PM with the authority of a federal minister. As an adviser, he gained access to the parliamentary meetings. Akbar, who is also the chief of the ARU, earlier enjoyed the status of a minister of state.

According to a notification issued by the Cabinet Secretariat, President Arif Alvi, on the advice of Prime Minister Imran Khan, appointed Akbar as “the adviser on accountability and interior with the status of a federal minister with immediate effect”.

“It is the worst example of favouritism, nepotism, conflict of interest and violation of oath of the prime minister as contained in the Third Schedule of the Constitution which binds [PM] to exercise his power arid authority without allowing his personal interest to influence his official conduct,” the petition said.