The Supreme Court has summoned academic as well as appointment record of Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) Chairman Tauqeer Sadiq today (Tuesday).
The three-member bench comprising Justice Shakirullah Jan, Justice Jawwad S Khwaja and Justice Khilji Arif Hussain was hearing a petition filed by Muhammad Yasin against the eligibility of Sadiq, OGRA’s dysfunctional chairman.
Mian Abdur Rauf, counsel for the petitioner, contended that Sadiq did not qualify for the post, saying his LLM degree was fake, and his other educational degrees were also doubtful.
Justice Hussain observed that it was the responsibility of the court to examine and review the issue of corruption and violation of merit, wherever it was committed. He said the appointments on the basis of nepotism and without merit should be discouraged, as nepotism and corruption gave birth to social evils. He said even Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani had objected to candidates, including Sadiq and had ordered that post be re-advertising.
Sadiq’s lawyer, Muhammad Akram Sheikh contended that the educational degrees of his client were not fake, adding that if there was any illegality in appointment, the appointing authority was responsible for it.
He contended that the petition was filed against his client with a mala fide intention as the petitioner was also one of the candidates for the post of OGRA chairman.
He said, at the time of the appointment, his client was eligible for the post, adding that per the rules of the Higher Education Commission, an LLM degree was equal to a postgraduate degree.
Justice Khwaja asked the counsel that if LLM degree of his client was not fake, he should produce the record of the thesis of his LLM before the court.
During the hearing, the OGRA, in compliance with the court’s earlier order, submitted a detailed report over the compressed natural gas (CNG) licences issued in the last 10 years. In its report, the OGRA stated that during the last 10 years, 66 CNG licences had been issued, whereas the place was changed in 48 licences.
The report said OGRA’s dysfunctional chairman misused his official authority, for which the prime minister took notice and sought a reply. However, Sadiq had not replied yet.
Meanwhile, the court adjourned hearing until today (Tuesday).
