IHC dismisses plea challenging Shahzad Akbar's appointment as PM's adviser

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) dismissed on Wednesday a petition challenging the appointment of Shahzad Akbar as adviser to Prime Minister Imran Khan.

The IHC took up a petition by Advocate Pervez Zahoor that challenged Akbar's appointment as PM's adviser. Akbar is PM's advisor on Accountability. During the hearing today, IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah said that there is no record that would prove Akbar's interference in the affairs of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

IHC's Chief Justice Athar Minallah says PM can appoint anyone as adviser

Issuing a nine-page written judgment, the high court said that advisors are not part of the federal cabinet and are not entitled to attend its meetings. However, they can if they have been invited to attend the meetings by the premier, the court said.

However, they are not entitled to vote, the verdict said. Regarding Akbar's position as the chairman of the Assets Recovery Unit, the court said that the matter has been challenged in the Supreme Court and ruling is awaited.