The Supreme Court on Monday took notice of the alleged illegal appointment of Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf’s son-in-law in the World Bank. A three-member SC bench headed by Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali would conduct hearing in the case on December 19.
The suo motu was taken over news reports that Raja Azeem had been appointed as the executive director in the international monetary organisation.
Sources said Finance Minister Hafeez Shaikh had expressed reservations over the decision but the prime minister had put his foot down over the issue and ordered appointment of his son-in-law to the lucrative position.
Transparency International-Pakistan (TIP) had on Sunday drew the attention of Prime Minister Raja Parvez Ashraf towards allegations of nepotism in rapid promotion of his son-of-law in Employees Old Age Benefit Institution (EOIB), his appointment in the PM’s Secretariat and his current posting as the WB executive director.
It said until a few years back, the PM’s son-in-law was serving in grade-18 in the Income Tax Group, but he was first hired by the EOBI in BPS-20 and soon after his father-in-law’s elevation as PM, he too was elevated in the PM Secretariat to a grade-21 post.
The TIP said the post of World Bank ED was highly lucrative, offering $220,000 per annum along with other perks and privileges.
The news report regarding the appointment said the Finance Division believed Azeem’s appointment might create an embarrassing situation for the country because the ED represented several countries like Iran, Algeria, Afghanistan and others, and they might raise objection when Pakistan’s designated son-in-law assumes charge as full fledged ED.