ISLAMABAD – Appointment of former Supreme Court judge Sheikh Azmat Saeed as chairman of a probe commission on Broadhsheet case challenged in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday.
The petition against his appointment, which has been rejected by the PML-N and PPPP time and again, was filed by a citizen, Saleemullah Khan.
The petition cites Justice Saeed’s past affiliation with National Accountability Bureau (NAB) as deputy prosecutor general as creating a conflict of interest.
A retired judge cannot be appointed at any post for two years from his retirement, it adds.
Justice Saeed, Supreme Judicial Council, Pakistan Bar Council and Supreme Court Bar Association have been made respondents.
Last month, the federal government picked the former judge of top court to lead an investigation committee on Broadsheet case.
Information Minister Shibli Faraz had said that the committee will address the questions being raised about the Broadsheet, a UK-based firm hired by Pakistan to trace the assets of Pakistanis in 2000.
Broadsheet CEO Kaveh Mousavi in an interview with a YouTube channel had said that he was offered a bribe to drop probe against assets of Sharif family.
PML-N spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb while rejecting Azmat Saeed’s appointment said, “Handing over investigations to those who should [themselves] be investigated is the murder of justice. [Prime Minister] Imran Khan, have the courage to tell the nation you need an NRO (National Reconciliation Ordinance)”.
Meanwhile, PPP Secretary General Nayyar Bukhari had said that the appointment of the former judge had exposed the government’s dishonesty, adding that the purpose of appointing Justice Sheikh was to cast all blame “on the opposition and previous governments”.
