SC admits premier's letter seeking judicial probe into RPP case as petition

Supreme Court to hear petition on Monday, March 11, 2013.

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf’s letter to the Chief Justice of Pakistan requesting for a judicial commission to be formed over allegations of corruption in Rental Power case has been accepted as a petition in the Supreme Court, Express News reported.

The apex court will hear the petition on Monday, March 11, 2013. Either the prime minister or a counsel authorised to represent him, can appear before the court for the hearing.

Ashraf – who is among those accused in the RPP case – wrote a letter to the Supreme Court on Friday, requesting it to form a judicial commission to look into the case.

The prime minister asked the court to direct an independent inquiry into the RPPs case by Federal Tax Ombudsman Shoaib Suddle.

The move is seen by constitutional experts as an effort by the premier to find a way out before the elections as the chief executive has the authority to institute the commission himself.

“Under the Commission of Inquiry Act, the government can form an inquiry commission without getting permission from the court,” Dr Khalid Ranjha told The Express Tribune.

According to sources in the SC, the Prime Minister, in his letter, maintained that the allegations against him in the RPPs case had undermined the dignity of his office and reputation of the country.