Bowing out: End of advisory road for Shujaat

The premier’s aviation adviser hands in his resignation after the SC ruling.

ISLAMABAD:

The prime minister’s adviser on aviation, Shujaat Azim, tendered his resignation on Friday. Azim’s figurative walkout came after the top court’s ruling on the dual nationality status of high-ranking government officials, as he holds Canadian nationality.

Just this Thursday, a three-person bench, headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, summoned Azim to explain why he held dual nationality, even though he served as an adviser to the premier.  He was also required to brief the court on a case related to the irregularities with the construction of the New Benazir Bhutto International Airport.

On the same day, Attorney General Munir A Malik informed the apex court that Azim would submit his resignation, not just because of his Canadian nationality, but also because of his court-martial in the past.



In view of Malik’s statement, the chief justice promptly directed him to present the notification of the acceptance of Azim’s resignation. The attorney general will now submit a progress report in this regard next week.

Further hearings related to the case were adjourned until Monday.

Just a few weeks ago, then law minister stepped down from his office at the Supreme Court’s intervention, due to controversy related to Pervez Musharraf’s trial.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 27^th, 2013.