ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s decision to appoint Justice (r) Aamir Raza Khan as chairman of the inquiry committee to probe the matter of newsgate has sparked yet another controversy, as the latter is said to be a close ‘friend’ of the Sharif family.
According to details, the government on Monday announced details about the committee constituted to launch an inquiry into the newsgate and asked it to submit a report within 30 days.
Other than Justice (r) Aamir Raza, the committee will have representatives from the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Military Intelligence (MI) and the Intelligence Bureau (IB), read a notification issued by the Interior Ministry.
Establishment Secretary Tahir Shahbaz and National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Punjab’s Najam Saeed will also be part of the committee, along with Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Director Usman Anwar.
Justice (r) Aamir Raza Khan is currently working as the chairman of the Punjab Healthcare Commission’s Board of Commissioners. The Punjab government specially selected him for the committee.
According to reports, his daughter Dr Nosheen Haroon is also working at the Sharif Medical Complex, Raiwind – a private entity of the Sharif family – as the vice principal, whereas his brother-in-law Anwar Zahid was the principal secretary to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
Justice (r) Aamir Raza had been a judge of the Lahore High Court from 1979 to 1981 during the regime of former dictator General Ziaul Haq, whereas he also remained the advocate general of Punjab.
When contacted, senior advocate and Judicial Activism Panel Chairman Azhar Siddiq told Online news agency that cordial relations between Justice (r) Aamir Raza and the Sharif family were an open secret. He said that Justice (r) Aamir’s brother-in-law had held important slots during Nawaz Sharif’s government. Due to these close relations, his daughter was appointed as vice principal at the Sharif Medical Complex, a healthcare center situated at Jati Umra, Raiwind, which is owned by the Sharif family.
He said that the chief justice should take a suo motu action on it, as it showed the government’s dishonesty, since a retired judge who was very close and personal friend of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his other family members had been appointed the chairman of the inquiry commission.
He questioned how a person could dispense justice in a very sensitive inquiry when he had very close relations with the ruling PML-N and the premier’s family.
He said that neither Justice (r) Raza’s health permitted him to chair the inquiry committee nor his political affiliation allowed him to hold a much important probe regarding a matter of national security.
Azhar Siddiq said that the newsgate was an incredibly straight matter, adding that court martial of the persons found involved in the so-called leak of news could be carried out under the Pakistan Army Act.
He said that investigation of the matter should commence after the registration of a first information report (FIR) at the relevant police station.
The senior lawyer said that the legal fraternity would knock the door of every forum to get justice in the matter so that the persons who put the national security at risk were brought to justice. He also urged the chief justice of Pakistan to take suo motu notice of the matter and appoint a serving judge for the job in order to prevent the government from using delaying tactics in the case.
Rai Ahmed Nawaz Kharal, a senior lawyer of the Supreme Court, told this scribe that Justice (r) Aamir Raza was just like a member of the Sharif family. When Nawaz Sharif was the Punjab chief minister, Justice (r) Aamir’s brother-in-law Anwar Zahid was working as the chief secretary of the province. When Nawaz was elected the prime minister for the first time, Anwar Zahid remained with him as principal secretary to the PM. http://dailytimes.com.pk/islamabad/08-Nov-16/pm-appoints-friend-to-probe-newsgate
Comments are closed.