CJP grills Shehbaz over public companies affair

• CM Shehbaz fails to satisfy court over hiring of officials on high salaries
• Says he had nothing to do with these appointments, claims hirings were made on merit

LAHORE: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Saqib Nisar on Sunday grilled Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif after he failed to satisfy the court over recruitment of officials on inordinately high salaries as chief executives of 56 public companies.

A two-member bench of the Supreme Court headed by Justice Nisar was hearing the suo motu notice on Sunday pertaining to the appointment of a retired officer as head of the Strategic Management and Internal Policy Unit on a salary package much greater than that being paid to the Punjab chief secretary.

Upon inquiring that on which basis were these officers hired against salaries of Rs2.5 million each, Shehbaz retorted that he had nothing to do with these appointments and the relevant authorities were responsible. He told the court that the appointments had been made on the basis of merit and claimed to have saved billions of rupees from being plundered.

The chief justice, however, rejected the claims and questioned the merit of the appointments, asking why such hefty amounts were paid to government officers. “We are not satisfied with your answer,” Justice Nisar added.

The chief minister responded saying that he would accept the court’s decision, upon which the CJP asserted, “You will have to accept the decision.” The CJP said that tens of millions of rupees were invested in Punjab Saaf Pani Company but not a single drop of water was supplied.

Justice Nisar said that all the officers who enjoyed perks worth tens of thousands of rupees would have to pay back each and every penny, adding that Shehbaz would be responsible for ensuring this payback.

He said that notices would be issued to the CM if the amount was not returned.

The chief minister, however, lost his cool and told the court he had not saved billions of rupees of taxpayers’ money because “he had been bitten by a rabid dog”.

The CJP responded by saying he did not know what had bitten the chief minister, and that such language did not suit Shehbaz Sharif.

Shehbaz then sought a pardon for his language and agreed that the Punjab Saaf Pani Company had not provided water to the people. He said that the government had rescued itself from Rs70bn fraud in the water company, and that he had saved Rs160bn in power projects.

The chief minister went on to say that the court can give whatever punishment it finds suitable if corruption of a single penny is proved against him.

At that point, Justice Ijazul Ahsan quoted the National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) findings which suggested corruption in all 56 companies.

Shehbaz, however, challenged the findings and said that the bureau must show the evidence, if it has any.

Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar had summoned Shehbaz Sharif in a case pertaining to corruption in 56 public sector companies in Punjab. “Shehbaz Sharif should appear in person and explain how government officials were hired on such high salaries,” the court had remarked.

Responding to this, Attorney General Punjab said that Shehbaz did not have any role in the companies. However, the statement was shot down by the top judge who observed that “not even a fly flies without his [Shehbaz] order in the province”. “Please ask your chief minister where is he and when will he appear before the court,” the CJP observed.

The court further ordered National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to estimate the wealth of the chief executive officers of six companies.

“Please investigate how much property these officials own, so that nation’s money can be returned to it,” Chief Justice Nisar asserted.

On April 28, the Supreme Court had ordered the heads of 56 public companies, which are being investigated over a corruption probe, to draw salaries as per their pay scale.

Chief Justice Nisar remarked that the heads of the companies must draw salaries as per their respective civil servant roles, adding that the heads should return the amount which was more than their original pay scandal.

“The companies were made to award relatives,” observed the CJP. “Billions of rupees were spent but there is not a single drop of water available for people. We won’t allow any person to use tax money.”