–Kashif Ali Malik, who helped win landmark cases, asked to disengage and is barred from approaching the court
ISLAMABAD: Capital Development Authority (CDA) is all set to have Advocate Shahid Naseem Gondal, former MPA candidate from PP-67 Mandi Bahauddin as its new legal advisor, replacing Advocate Kashif Ali Malik, according to office order issued by Law and Justice Division.
Advocate Kashif Ali Malik had represented civic agency before different forums in various cases, including Grand Hyatt case, illegal constructions and expansion by Marriot and Serena hotels among others. According to sources, Malik has been replaced on pressure from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) high-ups who want to accommodate their blue-eyed Shahid Nasim Gondal who is a Lahore-based lawyer.
According to the order, Advocate Shahid Nasim Gondal has been appointed with immediate effect on a monthly retainer to be settled and paid by CDA. “The department may entrust its legal matters/cases to the aforesaid legal advisor,” the order stated. The office order further added that Advocate Malik should be barred from approaching the court.
It is pertinent to mention here that cases worth billions of rupees are pending against the civic agency before various courts and forums. A sound, capable and learned legal advisor is the need of the hour for the already imperilled CDA whose inquiries and references are pending before the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), ombudsperson and other watchdogs.