NICL scandal: Commission recommends action against Ch Shujaat, Rehman Malik
A report put out by a commission investigating the National Insurance Company Limited scam has implicated former interior minister Rehman Malik and the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid chief for trying to shield Moonis Elahi, the chief accused in the case, and run down the judiciary.
The 72-page report available with The Express Tribune recommended legal action against former interior minister Rehman Malik and PML-Q chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain for political expediency in favour of Moonis in the NICL scandal as well as for launching a campaign against the judiciary.
Former judge of the Supreme Court Justice (retd) Ghulam Rabbani was appointed to conduct the inquiry and submit a report on the Supreme Court’s August 8, 2011 in the suo motu case relating to the involvement of Moonis in the NICL scandal.
“Whether before suspending Zafar Ahmad Qureshi (who was incharge of the FIA team investigating the NICL scandal), pressure was exerted upon him by the interior minister … as it has been reported in the newspapers, ie, The Express Tribune and one other English daily due to political expediency, if so, to what consequences?” the report read.
“Responsibility shall be fixed individually or collectively against the persons responsible for making investments to run the campaign against the judiciary on the electronic media as it has been noted hereinabove,” the second term of reference stated.
The inquiry report also mentioned a report in The Express Tribune regarding the scandal and the involvement of Malik and Ch Shujaat and summoned the newspaper’s reporter Asad Kharal. “In a meeting with Malik on Sunday (July 3, 2011), sources told The Express Tribune that Qureshi had allegedly been given three options: go on long leave, declare Moonis Elahi not guilty or face severe action.”
“Having so observed, I am left with no option but to hold Mr Abdur Rehman Malik, the interior minister, responsible for making conscious efforts to exert pressure upon Zafar Qureshi, more particularly, in derogation of an order of the apex court passed on July 1, 2011; and is liable to be dealt with in accordance with the law,” the contents of the report read.
Regarding Ch Shujaat’s involvement, the report stated that the name of Moonis appears twice in an advertisement. “It is not a secret that he (Moonis) is a very close relative of those who are very prominent in the whole set-up of PML-Q and the possibility of their interest to get the advertisement aired for his benefit, which is evident from its contents, cannot be rule out.”
It further stated that the overall responsibility of running the campaign in question lies on the PML-Q chief.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 10th, 2012.
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