The legal battle of Chaudhry Aslam

He was on the frontline in a long legal battle in which his colleagues strove to defend their out-of-turn promotions.

KARACHI: While Chaudhry Aslam won most of his battles against criminals, he did face defeat in a legal fight when the Supreme Court annulled the controversial shoulder promotions.

He was on the frontline in the long legal battle, which lasted for months, of his colleagues striving to defend their out-of-turn promotions that were gifted to them by the government for their gallant performance in the war against terrorism. Aslam was seemingly the government’s favourite child and it often changed the legislation to give legal cover to his promotions. However, they were ultimately taken away by the apex court’s judgment. The only place where the officer — who boasted a commanding aura — would look like an innocent citizen, was the packed courtroom — a place where he was forced to control his chain-smoking. The Supreme Court’s June 2013 judgment appeared to be the last nail in the coffin when judges declared the hastily enacted Sindh Civil Servants Services Act as void. Though bureaucracy later managed to accommodate Aslam, one harsh lesson he learnt during his life was that the writ of the law reigns supreme.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 10^th, 2014.