SC gives Saad Rafique month’s time to respond to railway losses report

–Former minister complains he’s being insulted rather than being appreciated for improving Pakistan Railways

LAHORE: The Supreme Court (SC) on Saturday gave former railway minister Khawaja Saad Rafique a month’s time to submit his reply in a case pertaining to losses suffered by Pakistan Railways during his tenure.

Rafique appeared at the Supreme Court’s Lahore registry after being summoned by the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Saqib Nisar.

On his arrival, the chief justice questioned the former minister if he had seen the audit report highlighting the losses suffered by the organisation, to which the PML-N leader replied that he had taken steps to make the ministry self-sustainable.

“I am not here to be insulted,” Rafique said, reminding the court that the code of conduct for judges does not allow them to insult anyone.

Following this Justice Nisar assured Rafique that he was not being insulted and asked him to submit his response. Rafique said that he had come to the court to be appreciated but all he had received was an admonishment.

“Submit your response and we will see if you deserve to be praised,” Justice Ijazul Ahsan said.

Rafique then apprised the court that he could not respond to the court on a 1000-page report.

“I cannot respond to the report as I am not an accountant,” he said, asking the court to point out his name mentioned in the corruption case. He also stated that he had made his “best efforts to improve the railway department”.

Following this, the court advised Rafique to hire a lawyer and a consultant and accepted his request to be granted one month’s time in order to submit his response.

The chief justice also said the case should be handed over to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for further investigation.

The court then adjourned the hearing.

On April 7, the top judge had taken suo motu notice of alleged corruption of Rs 60 billion in Pakistan Railways. The top judge had also summoned railways minister, secretary and board members along with the audit report.

A week later, the apex court had ordered the complete audit of Pakistan Railways during the case hearing.

During the case’s hearing on April 28, the SC sought a report on the losses incurred by Pakistan Railways. The report found that losses of Pakistan Railways stand at Rs 40 billion.