The Supreme Court of Pakistan (SC) has issued contempt notices to Federal Secretary Interior Affairs , Secretary Establishment Division and Principal Secretary to Prime Minister on Thursday while announcing reserved judgment in contempt of court proceedings against former DG Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Malik Muhammad Iqbal.
Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry announced the reserved judgment while heading the three-member bench comprising Justice Tariq Perez Khan and Justice Amir Hani Muslim.
The court issued contempt notices to Principal Secretary to Prime Minister Khushnood Akhtar Lashari, Federal Secretary Interior Qamar-Zaman Chaudhry and Secretary Establishment Division Abdul Rauf Chaudhry under Section 17 of Contempt of Court Law. The court has sought the reply from three high profile officials till 23rd of this month.
They have been asked as to why Additional DG FIA Zafar Qureshi, who was an investigation officer in National Insurance Corporation Limited (NICL) scam, was transferred on verbal orders.
Court maintained that Interior Secretary Chaudhry Qamar-uz-Zaman, Establishment Division Secretary Abdul Rauf Chaudhry have failed to satisfy the apex court over transfer of Zafar Qureshi in haste and on verbal orders, adding that the judgment against former DG FIA would be announced after the reply of above mentioned three secretaries.
Court has said in verdict that these three officials had interfered in the matters of the court and rules of business had been violated so these officials are responsible for disassociating the honest investigation officer Zafar Qureshi, who recovered the looted money from culprits.
It is worth mentioning here that the court had reserved the judgment on June 8th and during the course of hearing Malik Iqbal tendered unconditional apology from the court saying that “I leave myself on mercy of the court”. SANA
