Top bureaucrats in trouble
The list of officers who benefited from the National Reconciliation Order 2007 is nearing completion and reportedly contains numerous politicians and bureaucrats holding senior positions in the government.
Express 24/7 reports that Pakistan's ambassador to Washington, Hussain Haqqani is in the list of NRO beneficiaries that is being prepared by the Establishment Division. Another notable name on the list is that of Salman Farooqi, who is serving as the Secretary General to the Presidency.
Ambassador to Iran MB Abbasi and former DG Intelligence Bureau, retired Brigadier Imtiaz Ahmad, have also made the list. Another beneficiary of note is Ahmad Sadiq, the former personal secretary to the then prime minister Benazir Bhutto.
Prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani had directed the Establishment Division to prepare the list within 48 hours following a contempt notice issued by the Supreme Court on the appointment of Adnan Khwaja, an NRO beneficiary who was appointed as chairman of OGDC.
A 17-member larger bench of the Supreme Court had unanimously struck down the NRO on December 16 2009. However, the Supreme Court has been dissatisfied with the government’s inaction to implement the NRO verdict.