Tag chief justice

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan will hear the National Accountability Bureau’s appeal against the suspension of the Sharif family’s sentences in the Avenfield reference today.

A five-member bench led by Chief Justice Saqib Nisar and comprising Justice Asif Saeed Khosa, Justice Gulzar Ahmed, Justice Mushir Alam and Justice Mazhar Alam Miankhel will hear the appeal.

NAB had approached the apex court after the Islamabad High Court, on September 19, suspended sentences of former premier Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Captain (retd) Safdar in the Avenfield corruption reference and ordered their release.

The Sharifs had petitioned IHC against the Avenfield verdict, after an accountability court on July 6 convicted Nawaz, Maryam and Safdar in the Avenfield properties reference and sentenced them to 11 years, eight years and one year, respectively, in prison.

The Sharif family had filed appeals for the Avenfield verdict to be overturned on July 16.

ISLAMABAD: The federal government has approved the resignation of Azam Swati as Federal Minister of Science and Technology, said a notification dated January 9.
Notification

The resignation has been accepted with effect from December 6, 2018, the notification added.

The Supreme Court has been hearing a case against Swati pertaining to the transfer of Islamabad IGP Jan Muhammad.

A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar had taken suo motu notice of Islamabad IGP Jan Muhammad’s abrupt transfer. The IGP was transferred on October 27 after he allegedly refused to take action on a complaint filed by Swati’s son regarding a fight over purported encroachment with a family at their farmhouse.

The apex court had formed a joint investigation team (JIT) to probe allegations of misuse of authority, misconduct and encroachment against the minister. The JIT had held Swati and his guards responsible for the row over farmhouse land and the Supreme Court had observed that he had misused his powers as a federal minister.

The top court is also conducting Swati’s trial under Article 62(1)(f) of the Constitution on assets beyond means case, under which former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and Jahangir Tareen were disqualified.

Furthermore, US Department of Homeland Security handed over important documents to the JIT, probing Swati’s alleged misuse of authority, and stated that he falsely represented himself as an American national in the USA in 2000 and 2001.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Khawaja Saad Rafique on Wednesday said evidence against them is being found after their arrests.

Speaking to the media after appearing before the Supreme Court in railways losses case, Rafique said, “Evidence against us is not being found but being manufactured.”

“It is a sad tradition in Pakistan that the children of the founders of the country have had to serve jail sentences and if you love this country or speak of democracy then you have to serve the same,” he lamented.

“The government instead of running the country is running behind the opposition. Politicians instead of calling each other thieves should focus on real issues,” the PML-N leader asserted.

Earlier during the hearing, when Rafique was presented in the top court, the chief justice remarked, “We do not summon Khawaja Sb so why does he appear before us? We had sought a reply from the auditor general.”

At this, Rafique’s lawyer, Kamran Murtaza, told the court, “The auditor general submitted a reply in Lahore.” The chief justice then said that they will hear the case when they receive the reply next week.

The hearing of railways losses case was adjourned for one week.

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Wednesday declared that licenses of 16 pilots and 65 cabin crew members were suspended for holding fake degrees and wrapped up the case.

A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Mian Saqib Nisar heard a case pertaining to verification of degrees of pilots and cabin crew members. The chief justice had taken notice of alleged appointment of pilots holding fake qualifications in January last year.

As the hearing went under way, the counsel for Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) informed the court, “Except for six degrees all others have been verified. The six degrees that have not been verified belong to those who are abroad.”

“Degrees of 16 pilots and 65 cabin crew members were fake and their licenses have been suspended,” the CAA counsel added. At this, the chief justice remarked, “The impression is that action is being taken in haste over the court order.”

“We do not want to halt anyone’s source of income. The certificates on the basis of which the licenses of pilots and cabin crew members were suspended should be accurate,” the top judge added.

The counsel for CAA said, “Pilots have the right to appeal after their licenses are suspended.”

At this, a pilot present in the courtroom whose license was also suspended said, “My degree is not fake but my license was still suspended.” The chief justice then remarked, “If anyone has any issues then they should approach the relevant forum.”

Declaring that degrees of 16 pilots and 65 cabin crew members belonging to all local airlines turned out to be fake and their licenses were suspended, the court wrapped up the case.

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the Federal Board of Revenue to submit a detailed report on the assets and properties owned by Pakistanis abroad.

A three-member bench of the apex court led by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar heard a case pertaining to the foreign assets of Pakistanis.

FBR chairman, who was in attendance, told the court that the bureau has set up offices countrywide to look into the case. He said 775 people have submitted their affidavits regarding assets owned abroad.

He further informed that there are 60 cases of foreign properties that are more lucrative and hence, there is a chance of retrieving greater revenue from these cases. These cases will be dealt with on priority basis, the official added.

The chief justice in his remarks observed that the sooner the money was returned to Pakistan, the better it was for the economy.

“We are entrusting FBR with the responsibility to bring wealth back to Pakistan,” Justice Nisar remarked.

The court then directed FBR and the Federal Investigation Agency to submit a detailed report on the matter by January 14, and adjourned the hearing till then.

Earlier during the hearing, FBR also told the bench that Aleema Khan, the sister of Prime Minister Imran Khan, had not yet paid Rs29.4 million as ordered by the Supreme Court. She has until January 13 to pay the amount, the bureau added.

The apex court, while hearing a case against 44 politically exposed individuals or their benamidars who possess properties in the United Arab Emirates earlier in December, had ordered Aleema Khan to pay Rs29.4 million in taxes and fines.

Earlier today, the Supreme Court also sought details from the government about the development and reconstruction plan in the 2005 earthquake-hit areas of the country, as it heard a suo motu notice of alleged embezzlement in grants and donations meant for reconstruction and rehabilitation of the earthquake survivors.

Justice Nisar, while hearing the case, remarked that if the dams were not built then he would also join the victims in protests. “No hospitals or schools were built, nor the new Balakot. The survivors are still living in tents and camps in the worst conditions,” he lamented.

LAHORE: Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Mian Saqib Nisar on Saturday said curbing flaws of institutions is the judiciary’s constitutional responsibility.

Addressing the convocation ceremony of Services Institute of Medical Sciences in Lahore, the chief justice said “I have spent my whole life working for the provision of justice. The purpose of my life is to stay loyal to my profession.”

“The real service is to fulfill your professional responsibilities with sincerity. My test has started and its results will come after I retire,” he added.

Stating that ensuring proper health services are provided was not his nor the court’s job, the chief justice said, “But there were flaws in hospital management systems and curbing flaws of institutions is the constitutional responsibility of the judiciary.”

“We did not interfere in the internal matters of any institution,” he further said.

The top judge lamented, “Private hospitals are no longer academic institutions and have become business centres.”

“The court recovered Rs726 million from the millions earned by private medical colleges as fee and returned it back to the students,” he added.

Recalling incidents from his childhood, Justice Nisar said, “When I was eight years old, I used to take my mother to the doctor in a horse carriage and we used to spend hours at the clinic. My mother taught my brother and I to serve humanity and prayed to God to protect us from all difficulties.”

“Those who suffer greatly, understand the pain of others,” the top judge added. “I began my mission with my mother’s teachings in mind,” he continued.

Justice Nisar further said, “My love for the country is not one-sided by two-sided.”

LAHORE: Former railways minister Khawaja Saad Rafique was presented before the Supreme Court on Thursday in a case pertaining to monetary losses suffered by Pakistan Railways.

A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Mian Saqib Nisar will hear various important cases at the Supreme Court’s Lahore Registry today.

Officials of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) brought Rafique to the SC registry.

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader has been in NAB’s custody since November 11 in connection to the Paragon Housing Society case.

The case

On April 7, the top judge had taken a suo motu notice of alleged Rs60 billion corruption in the Pakistan Railways. The top judge had also summoned railways minister, secretary and board members along with the audit report.

A week later, the apex court had ordered the complete audit of Pakistan Railways during the case hearing.

During the case’s hearing on April 28, the Supreme Court sought a report on the losses incurred by Pakistan Railways. The report found that losses of Pakistan Railways stand at Rs40 billion.

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Railways Shiekh Rashid Ahmed on Tuesday claimed that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz supremo is seeking an NRO for his daughter Maryam Nawaz from powers that be while Zardari is not interested in any deal for Bilawal.

Speaking in Rawalpindi, the federal minister said that there will be a crackdown against the looters before March 2020.

“Even after March if they manage to escape then only God can save Pakistan,” he said. “The nation voted for Imran Khan for accountability against the looters. Those stole national resources are traitors.”

Rashid said that economic crisis is the prime issue of the country, and the reason behind it is the presence of ‘vultures’ in the political structure of the country.

“Those who looted Pakistan are being respected and no one cares for those who gave sacrifices for the country. But the nation now knows who is a thief. And they know they are carting protocol,” he added.

The railway minister said that case should be registered against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif on the attack against Samaa’s cameraperson.

“They only think about themselves. And leave people stranded. They know that they have become unpopular so they are using their thugs to attack people,” he said.

Rashid appealed Chief Justice of Pakistan to take notice of the case.

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Saturday announced its verdict on a suo moto case pertaining to dual nationalities of government officers and directed the government to not appoint dual nationals on top posts and to draft laws in this regard after approval from the Cabinet.

A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Mian Saqib Nisar heard the suo motu case pertaining to dual nationalities of government officers. On September 24, the SC had reserved its verdict on the case and had issued notices to the attorney general and the four provincial advocate generals in this regard.

Earlier, the chief justice had sought a list of dual nationals appointed on top government posts across the country.

During today’s hearing, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) submitted a list of around 1,000 dual nationals holding government offices. “719 officers had declared their dual national status while the others had hidden it,” the FIA informed the court.

The bench then announced the verdict on the case and directed the government to draft laws in this regard after approval from the Cabinet. The court further ordered that dual nationals not be appointed on top government posts.

In its 52-page written verdict, the top said that dual national cannot be employed because they are a threat to the interests of the state.

The apex court also directed the federal and provincial governments to set deadlines for dual national officers to either give up their job or the second nationality.

The bench further said that failure to relinquish their other nationalities within the given time frame could result in legal action.

During the last hearing, SC’s appointed adviser Shahid Hamid had said that dual nationals should not hold government offices. “It will be better if the court lets the Parliament and government make a decision in this regard,” he had added.

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Thursday constituted a joint investigation (JIT) team to probe the role of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in the case related to the transfer of land of the Pakpattan shrine in 1985.
A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Mian Saqib Nisar heard the suo motu case pertaining to the transfer of 14,000 kanals of land of the Pakpattan shrine to Dewan Ghulam Qutab in 1985. Nawaz was the then-chief minister of Punjab province when the land in question was transferred.
After hearing the arguments, the top court constituted a three-member JIT to probe the case. The JIT will be headed by National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) Chairman Khaliq Dad Lak and comprise an official each of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and the Intelligence Bureau (IB).
The rules and regulations of the JIT will be decided by December 27, the bench remarked. JIT members should appear before Supreme Court after submitting Terms of Reference (ToRs) by December 27, it added.

“The JIT will probe the role of then-chief minister of Punjab province Nawaz Sharif in the transfer of the land,” the SC bench further said
During the hearing, the chief justice remarked, “From the documents it is clear that Nawaz as Punjab chief minister transferred the Auqaf Department’s land to a private owner. Nawaz Sharif says he has no memory regarding this.”
Justice Nisar then asked Nawaz’s laywer, Barrister Zafarullah, who should they get the case investigated by to which he said, “You can ask anyone to probe it.
“Nawaz says he did not de-notify the land. Do you know what the consequences will be if this is proven wrong,” Justice Nisar further said.
The bench then formed a JIT to probe Nawaz’s role in the transfer of the land.
During the last hearing, the Supreme Court had summoned Nawaz and asked him to suggest how to probe the case against him. When the chief justice asked whether a JIT should probe the case, Nawaz had said some other body should probe the matter as his experience with JITs had not particularly been pleasant.