ISLAMABAD, March 27: A three-member bench of the Supreme Court headed by Justice Amir Hani Muslim on Monday heard a suo motu case pertaining to ‘illegal’ appointments and promotions of National Accountability Bureau officials.
After hearing arguments and reviewing data on irregular appointments and promotions in the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), the bench ordered the authority’s chairman to present the option of an early retirement to at least nine officials found to be promoted in contravention of the accountability watchdog’s educational criteria.
Justice Muslim also remarked that if the officers do not consent to early retirement, the court will be forced to rule against them, in which case they will not be able to benefit from the perks and benefits of formally resigning from their job.
The chairman was ordered to inform the court about the officials’ answers in the next hearing of the case, which will be held tomorrow (Tuesday).
During the hearing, the bench took particular notice of the appointment of Aliya Rashid as the accountability watchdog’s director general of awareness and prevention.
Taking note of Rashid’s prior history as a sportsperson, Justice Muslim asked how Rashid had been appointed a director in NAB, to which the defence lawyer said that she had been appointed by former prime minister Zafarullah Jamali in 2003.
Justice Muslim retorted saying that no matter where the orders of appointment come from, “they need to be within the limits defined by law, and this appointment was not.”
Recalling that a kabbadi playing policeman had been promoted because he “won a match against India”, Justice Muslim said in sarcasm that he was grateful that the policeman in question did not play any further matches or “he would have been appointed the inspector general of police”.
“Sportspersons should be encouraged and celebrated, not appointed to government posts in contravention of the law,” he observed.
Softening his criticism a bit, Justice Muslim said a sports cell could be set up in NAB and its charge given to Aliya Rashid in view of her experience as a sportsperson.
“How can you appoint individuals who do not fulfill your educational requirements?” Justice Muslim asked as he addressed the NAB chairman. “We’re not saying you made the appointments, but as chairman of the authority, you will have to accept responsibility,” he said.
“Will you be de-notifying these promotions and appointments then,” he further asked. “The only concession we can make is offering these individuals a pension,” he added.
“We agree with the Establishment Division’s assessment that 48 cases should be de-notified,” said NAB counsel Khwaja Asif. “In 629 inductions made by NAB, there are inconsistencies in 101,” he conceded.
Justice Muslim further said that NAB had been systemically destroyed because of such appointments and that if the institution had maintained strict standards and followed official procedures, more competent people would have been running the show.-Agencies
