Secretaries, PS to Prime Minister: Supreme Court issues contempt notices

The Supreme Court on Thursday issued contempt of court notices to the principal secretary to the prime minister, Khushnood Ali Lashari, secretary Establishment Division Chaudhry Abdul Rauaf and secretary Interior Chaudhry Qammar-uz-Zaman for transferring Additional Director Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Zafar Qureshi, who was probing the mega National Insurance Corporation Limited (NICL) scam on the apex court order.
A three-member bench comprising Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Justice Tariq Pervez and Justice Amir Hani Muslim issued the notices while hearing the contempt of court case against Director General FIA, Malik Muhammad Iqbal. It is worth mentioning that the court had earlier fixed Thursday to announce judgement in contempt of court proceedings only in the suo motu case 18/2010 as per supplementary cause list 381 of 2011 regarding contempt of court charges against the former DG FIA Malik Muhammad Iqbal but the bench deferred the matter till submission of reply by the three secretaries on June 23.
The court asked all the secretaries as to why Additional DG FIA Zafar Qurashi was transferred on a verbal order, especially when he was conducting investigation in NICL scam on the court order. The court issued contempt notices under Section 17 of Contempt of Court law to Secretary Interior, Secretary Establishment Division and Principal Secretary to the prime minister, directing them to file their replies by next hearing.
Appearing on notice, Secretary Interior Qamar-uz-Zaman Chaudhry submitted before the court that he had not transferred Zafar Qureshi. Former DG FIA Malik Iqbal told the court that Principal Secretary to the prime minister had dispatched a letter on the verbal orders of the prime minister.
Secretary Interior told the bench that he had dispatched the letter relating to Zafar Qureshi's transfer to Secretary Establishment Division with a covering letter, adding that the Secretary Establishment on the verbal orders of the prime minister had sidelined Zafar Qureshi from NICL scam investigation.
During the course of hearing, the court observed that explanation was not given before the court regarding transfer of Zafar Qureshi on April 18, adding that detaching Qureshi from NICL scam investigation was against the Rules of Business as well as violation of law.
"Secretary Establishment Division, Secretary Interior and Principal Secretary to Prime Minister intervened in judicial matters," the bench opined. After issuing contempt notices to the federal secretaries the bench adjourned hearing till June 23.