Raja Azeemul Haque’s appointment: PM held meeting to discuss SC proceedings, say officials

Premier’s officer denies meeting held to discuss his son-in-law’s appointment to WB.

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf called a meeting here on Wednesday, according to officials, in order to discuss the Supreme Court’s proceedings in an ongoing case regarding the appointment of his son-in-law to a key post in the World Bank.

The meeting was attended by Minister for Law and Justice Farooq Naek, Minister for Finance Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, Attorney General Irfan Qadir, Secretary EAD Javed Iqbal and Secretary Establishment Taimur Azmat Usman.

Press Secretary to the Prime Minister Shafqat Jalil said he was not aware of the meeting.

A cabinet minister told The Express Tribune that the prime minister’s son-in-law, Raja Azeemul Haque, joined the World Bank as an alternate executive director in Washington. The premier has directed the attorney general to defend the move in the apex court.



Prime Minister Ashraf had appointed his son-in-law to the post by using his discretionary powers, though some government officials had been critical of the nomination because of Haque’s ‘quick promotions’ within a few years from grade 18 to 21.

Taking suo motu notice of a media report, the Supreme Court had earlier summoned all records of the nomination of Haque. The apex court had also issued notices to Haque, the establishment secretary and the economic affairs division (EAD) secretary, summoning them to appear before the court.

According to officials, the government has launched investigations to find out who the whistleblower was. A key federal secretary is under observation on suspicion of leaking details, they added.

The executive director (ED) gets an annual salary of $220,000 (roughly Rs21 million) and is appointed for a period of three years. The alternative executive director gets 85% of the ED’s salary and works for two years.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 3^rd, 2013.