Appointments: SC seeks interim set-up’s record

Khawaja Asif directed to ensure transparency in appointments by new government.

ISLAMABAD:

The Supreme Court has directed the Establishment and Cabinet division secretaries and the health ministry to furnish a list of all appointments, transfers/postings and terminations of officials during the tenure of the caretaker government.

A three-judge bench of the SC headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry on Tuesday maintained its May 22 order concerning suspension of appointments, transfers and postings made by the interim government.

On that day, the apex court had suspended all appointments, postings and transfers ordered by the caretaker government, with the exception of transfers made for ensuring free and fair elections and for running day-to-day business of the government.

Chief Justice Chaudhry directed the law ministry secretary and principal secretary to the prime minister to submit their stance on the contents of the application filed by Syed Adil Gilani, adviser of Transparency International-Pakistan against the appointment of Salman Farooqui as federal ombudsman.



The bench was hearing a petition filed by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s Khawaja Muhammad Asif against the transfers and shuffling of high officials by the caretaker government.

Appearing before the bench, Asif said that despite the court order, more than 100 officers from Balochistan were deputed in different departments in violation of the rules.

He said that the caretaker government had terminated the services of several officials, who were already working in their respective posts. Asif pointed out that a finance ministry adviser was also fired, despite the fact that the annual budget was around the corner.

Meanwhile, the chief justice put the PML-N leader on notice that newly-elected government should ensure that all the appointments are made in a transparent manner.

Asif assured the bench that the procedure of appointments would be transparent and the nation would be a witness to it.

Regarding the appointment of Salman Farooqui as federal ombudsman, Attorney General Irfan Qadir contended that Transparency International-Pakistan’s Adviser Syed Adil Gilani had misled the court.

The CJ made it clear that if he had submitted false statement in the court then he would have to suffer. Qadir also informed the bench that Justice (retd) Faqir Muhammad Khokhar, who was appointed as head of the Anti Dumping Tribunal on May 16, had resigned from this post on May 22. The hearing of the case was adjourned until Thursday.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 5^th, 2013.