PM’s youth loan scheme: LHC sought Maryam Nawaz’s reply

The court will resume the hearing on November 5

LAHORE: Lahore High Court on Thursday sought a reply from Maryam Nawaz over her appoint as chairperson of Prime Minister Youth Loan Programme.

On November 22 last year, Maryam was appointed as the head of PM’s youth loan scheme.

Hearing a petition filed by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Zubair Niazi challenging the appointment of the ‘first daughter’, LHC sought reply from Maryam Nawaz.

The petitioner maintained that the impugned appointment was a result of sheer nepotism.

At the outset, a deputy attorney general sought time to file reply on behalf of the federal government. The court allowed the same till November 5.

During the last hearing, expressing concern over control of public money given to an individual of ruling family, Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah had observed that the government would have to explain under what law public money was being used for political purposes.

Earlier, petitioner’s counsel Sheraz Zaka argued that that the government issued a notification on November 22, 2013 pertaining to appointment of Maryam Nawaz, as chairperson of Prime Minister on Youth Loan Programme.

He said the appointment was made in violation of law and criteria as neither a public notice nor an advertisement for the post had been issued previously.

He said prior consultation with the Council of Common Interest was mandatory under the law but the prime minister’s daughter had been appointed without following the procedure. He said the appointment had also violated the precedence set in the Anita Turab case in which the Supreme Court had laid down the procedure and criteria for making such appointments. The SC had ruled that all appointments would be made on merit and in a transparent manner.

The petitioner said that the notification had been issued on the directions of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, mentioning her daughter’s name as Maryam Nawaz Sharif, which was incorrect since her name was Maryam Safdar. He said the prime minister had violated Article 91(5) of the Constitution “by concealing this fact”.

The petitioner requested the court to set aside her appointment. He also requested the court to restrain Maryam from working until the main petition was the disposed of. Justice Ijazul Ahsan turned down the plea and said a stay order would not be issued without hearing the other side.

The court will resume hearing on November 5.