Tariq Ullah Wardag
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC), while hearing the Memogate case on Thursday, asked what measures the government had taken to bring back Husain Haqqani, a former Pakistani ambassador to the United States, however SC was assured by the additional attorney general (AAG) on Thursday that all efforts will be made to bring back him to Pakistan.
The Supreme Court Thursday adjourned the memogate case for one week.
A three-member bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar comprising Justice Umar Ata Bandial and Justice Ijaz Ul Ahsan heard the case.
During hearing of the case, Additional Attorney General (AAG) Rana Waqar informed the court that it had previously ordered a former interior secretary to bring Haqqani back and ensure his safety in Pakistan.
On this the chief justice asked what measures did the interior ministry take on the court’s orders?
To which the AAG replied that none had been taken according to his information.
The CJP then summoned the interior and foreign secretaries, as well as the director general (DG) of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), to apprise the court of what actions could be taken to bring the former diplomat back. The AAG assured that all efforts would be made to bring back the former ambassador.
Barrister Zafarullah, one of the petitioners in the case, informed the bench that Haqqani had already said he would not return on the orders of the court.
The AAG and the petitioner also alleged that Haqqani frequently abused the courts of the country.
The chief justice responded that he would not react to the remarks made by the former ambassador, but the Memogate matter concerned the country’s honour and would be pursued diligently.
The court inquired from the Registrar Office, why the hearing of the case was not held after 2013.
The chief justice inquired from senior advocate Akram Sheikh what he was doing in the courtroom, to which Sheikh responded that he was representing Ijaz, the only witness in the case.
However, the chief justice remarked that they were not taking up Ijaz’s role in the case at the moment.
The court also dismissed a petition previously filed by the former ambassador seeking a review of court orders to bring him back.
In another case, The Supreme Court of Pakistan taking the notice of illegal marriage halls in Islamabad and appointment of chairman Capital Development Autho-rity (CDA) summoned all related record on Thursday.
According to details three-member bench of SC headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar heard the illegal marriage halls case as the chairman CDA Usman Bajwa also appeared before the court.
CJ asked CDA, “Was your Chairmanship challenged? And who appointed you?” on his reply chairman CDA told the court that he was appointed by federal government.
On which CJ said that eligible and skilled people should be appointed on public offices by avoiding favouritism.
CJ Saqib Nisar asked had marriage halls given notices, in reply CDA lawyer told CDA would have to hold meeting in this connection, his replied enraged the CJ and he said that after passage of 30 year rule and laws have not been promulgated.
“In such a embarrassing situation when court takes action certain section of the society raised questions over the activeness of court,” he remarked.
The SC has ordered CDA to summon board meeting till Tuesday including the record of CDA chairman appointment and asked for the submission of complete report on Wednesday February 14.
