Appointments of special assistants to prime minister challenged in IHC
Last updated on: 01 January,2020 07:02 pm
Appointments of special assistants to prime minister challenged in IHC.
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – The appointments of fifteen special assistants to the prime minister (SAPMs) have been challenged in the Islamabad High Court (IHC), Dunya News reported on Wednesday.
Prime Minister Imran Khan and the SAPMs have been made respondents in the petition which includes the names of Naeemul Haq, Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan, Nadeem Afzal, Ali Nawaz Awan, Zulfi Bukhari, Shahzad Akbar, Dr Moeed Yusuf, Usman Dar and others.
The plaintiff took the stance that Dr Moeed Yusuf worked with different think tanks of the United States in the past and his appointment may turn against the national interests.
The plea further stated that rule 4(6) of the Rules of Business, 1973 allows the premier to appoint special assistant but the aforementioned appointments were not made according to the Article 92 of the Constitution of Pakistan and the SAPMs have been unlawfully given the powers of federal and state ministers.
The petition requested the IHC to declare the status of SAPMs as federal/state ministers illicit and the step taken by PM Imran Khan and cabinet division illegal. The plea further asked the court to order the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to take action against all persons involved in the matter.