The Supreme Court (SC) issued a stay order on transfer of the Capital Development Authority (CDA) chairman and asked Tahir Shahbaz and Tariq Pirzada to continue performing duties as CDA chairman and chief commissioner, respectively.
A three-member bench of the SC presided by Justice Jawad S Khawaja heard the case on Monday.
The establishment secretary told the court that the CDA chairman was transferred following verbal orders of the prime minister (PM). Principal Secretary of the PM while delivering orders told us that Shahbaz had repeatedly requested the PM for his transfer, she added.
When the court probed, Shahbaz said he had not made any such requests. He said he was transferred on March 16 and had met the secretary establishment the same day but was not informed about the transfer.
“I had said if something was done against rules and regulations, I would not care for my office,” added Shahbaz.
Per the report presented by the establishment secretary, transfer orders of 25 officers of grade 19, 20 and 21 were issued on the last day of the government. PM is a legitimate authority to issue transfer orders of officers of grade 21 and above, she said.
Chief Commissioner Tariq Pirzada told the court he had never expressed a desire to hold the post of CDA chairman nor had he ever taken interest in it.
The secretary establishment told the court that further action on transfer orders which have not been implemented so far will be suspended.
The court directed the principal secretary to the PM and the CDA chairman to file a comprehensive reply and put off the hearing till Tuesday.