Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Khwaja Asif on Monday challenged the appointments and transfers made by caretaker Prime Minister Mir Hazar Khan Khoso against key government posts in the Supreme Court.
The petitioner was of the view that the caretaker prime minister had exceeded his mandate by appointing and transferring officials against key positions, and requested the SC to annul such appointments as those were ‘illegally’ made.
The PML-N leader has challenged the appointments of the chairmen of the National Highway Authority (NHA), and NEPRA, the managing directors (MD) of the Sui Southern, Sui Northern and of the Pakistan Minerals Department, the chairman of the National Fertilizers, the Oil and Gas Development Corporation Limited (OGDCL) MD, the chairmen of the State Life of Pakistan, the Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation, the Software Export Board, and the director general of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).
Moreover, appointments and transfers made in PTA had also been challenged. The PML-N leader named the federation of Pakistan and the caretaker prime minister respondents.
PM’S SPOKESMAN CLARIFIES:
Meanwhile, a spokesman of the Prime Minister’s House clarified the prime minister’s position on the issue, regretting that a wrong, malicious and misleading impression was being created which was unwarranted and needed to be eschewed.
The spokesman said all postings and transfers had been done after due diligence, examination and deliberations in consultation with the Establishment Division on the basis of reports and summaries from ministries concerned that highlighted and underscored the need for change of incumbents either for inefficiency, incompetence or on grounds of unsuitability.
He said no new appointments had been made against the removal of MDs and CEOs of the OGDCL, SNGPL, SSGPL, USC, PTA and EOBI, adding that acting charges had been given to the second senior most in such organisations until the new government appointed people after due process.
The spokesman further clarified that the office of NHA chairman had been assigned to Dr Sajjad Baloch previously serving as Gwadar Development Authority director general now appointed NHA member, a professionally sound officer holding PhD degree from the US in Civil Engineering/Highways.
The spokesman said “with regards to misstatement on account of the prime minister’s son’s transfer to the NHA, suffice is to state that he is a qualified civil engineer in C&W Balochistan since 1988, now in BS-18 since 2009. As per deputation policy, he has been posted one step higher in BS-19 coupled with Aghaz-e-Haqooq Balochistan package. Security concerns also did not allow his continuation in the province,” he added.
The PM’s spokesman emphasised that the caretaker government was “in fact engaged in the cleansing process to afford the new political government ample scope and space to carry on the good work, which is being done now”.
“All actions of the caretaker government are within the ambit of law, rules, competent jurisdiction and with noblest of intentions and high ideals of good governance. These actions are also in accordance with the guidelines given by the Ministry of Law and Justice based on international practices of caretaker governments.”
He said the difference of opinion or disagreement was understandable but malicious mudslinging, slandering and scandal mongering was most inappropriate.
