Regular secretariat to be set up for Broadsheet Inquiry Commission
Ministry of Law and Justice has been asked to set up a secretariat for Broadsheet Inquiry Commission
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) - The Cabinet Division has written a letter to Ministry of Law and Justice to set up a secretariat for Broadsheet Inquiry Commission, Dunya News reported on Monday.
The four-point letter of the Cabinet Division directed the Ministry of Law and Justice to set up a secretariat at the earliest. Ministry of Law and Justice has also been directed to provide office accommodation for the chairman of the Broadsheet Inquiry Commission, staff and necessary funds.
The letter also said that the record required by the Broadsheet Commission should also be provided by the ministry. The Ministry of Law and Justice has also been asked to make necessary arrangements for the provision of basic facilities for the commission to perform its function.
On the other hand, the Ministry of Law and Justice began considering to set up the Broadsheet Commission Secretariat after receiving the letter from the Cabinet Division.
The federal government had issued a notification on January 30 concerning constitution of a one-man commission comprising Justice (retd) Sheikh Azmat Saeed, a former judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, to probe the Broadsheet scandal.
The appointment has been made under Section 3 of the Pakistan Commissions of Inquiry Act, 2017, subject to the following Terms of Reference:
a) To examine the process of selection and appointment of Trouvons LLC, Broadsheet LLC, and International Asset Recovery Limited (‘IAR’) and execution of Agreements in the year 2000.
b) To examine the circumstances, reasons and effect of cancellation of Agreements with Broadsheet LLC and IAR in 2003.
c) To identify and determine the reasons and effect of settlement and payments made on behalf of Pakistan to IAR and Broadsheet LLC in 2008, and whether the payments made were justified.
d) To identify the persons or officials responsible for making wrong payment of USD 1.5 million to the wrong person in the year 2008 which was not entitled to receive such payment.
e) To identify as to whether the arbitration proceedings before the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA) and subsequent appeal before the High Court of Justice in London regarding Broadsheet LLC were conducted diligently and efficiently.
Justice (retd) Sheikh Azmat Saeed has also been authorized to form committees comprising officials and experts.
