Pakistan

Zardari rejects Khosa’s resignation

Prime Minister’s adviser on information technology Sardar Latif Khosa resigned from his post in protest.

Zia Khan July 20, 2010

A day after he was stripped of the powers of minister in-charge of information technology for alleged corruption, prime minister’s adviser on information technology Sardar Latif Khosa resigned from his post in protest. But President Asif Zardari immediately directed the “veteran loyalist” of the PPP to continue working as adviser.

On Monday, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani had taken back from Khosa the title and powers of the minister in-charge of IT after a parliamentary panel accused him of corruption and of having misbehaved with one of its members.

Individuals close to Latif Khosa said he was upset with the premier’s decision and met Zardari on Tuesday to present his resignation.

But Zardari, according to an official handout issued by his media office, did not accept the resignation and instead directed Khosa to continue officiating as the adviser to the prime minister.

These dramatic moves took place within days of the National Assembly standing committee on information technology levelling allegations of corruption against Khosa.

Corruption charges have been haunting Khosa from the time he was appointed as attorney general by the current government. He was removed from the post in line with a Supreme Court directive after he was found guilty of taking bribes in a case.

But instead of penalising him for alleged corruption, the government chose to appoint him as an adviser to the prime minister on IT with additional powers of minister in-charge.

According to the statement issued by the presidency, Zardari said both the government and the party recognised Khosa’s contribution to the revival of the democracy and would never abandon him in difficult times.

Meanwhile, PPP officials said Gilani had also urged Khosa to not relinquish his office and to continue working.

Insiders said Khosa had developed serious differences with law minister Babar Awan regarding several issues confronting the government and the party.

According to the rules, the president accepts or rejects resignations of cabinet members on the advice of the prime minister.

It is, however, not known whether advice was sought or given in Khosa’s case.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 21^st, 2010.

COMMENTS (1)

Ali | 14 years ago | Reply Mr. Zia Khan you should check your facts !!!! Corruption allegations against Mr.Khosa were infact disprove by the court itself after a detailed inquiry. He was removed from the post of AG only on suspision and as everyone knows due to the gruge the CJ holds against him. Furthermore plz collect the minutes of the meeting to the standing committee. The committee infact asked him to take certian steps which Mr. Khosa obliged which steps were not welcomed by the stake holders. Infact the term corruption was never used. And as a matter of record no contracts or jobs were given during the tenure of Mr. Khosa as IT Minister. When you my friend write for a paper you should have some ethics or morals to check your story ! Otherwise the term YELLOW JOURLISIM comes to mind. Are you really writing the truth or just taking sidea??

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