ISLAMABAD: Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chief Justice Athar Minallah on Tuesday heard a plea by former interior minister Sheikh Rashid against Hanif Abbasi’s appointment as special assistant to PM.
Sheikh Rashid appeared in the court hearing with his counsel, while noted lawyer Ahsan Bhoon submitted his advocacy papers in court to represent Hanif Abbasi. He sought time from court for submitting a reply over the matter.
Bhoon argued that the post of special assistant to the prime minister is not similar to the other public offices. IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah said a person convicted in any case is ineligible to hold any public office in the country
The court said that the special assistant’s job is to advise the prime minister, adding that a person can give his advice to the premier without notification.
The court hoped that Hanif Abbasi will not use the public office until the next hearing. The court estraining Hanif Abbasi to work as the SAPM till the next hearing on May 27.
Cabinet division has forwarded a summary to the prime minister for review on appointment of Hanif Abbasi as SAPM, the Deputy Attorney General earlier told the court.
Justice Athar Minallah had earlier said that a person could not hold a public office when the sentence awarded to him or her could not be declared void.
The cabinet division in its interim report said that it has initiated the process for May 9 court order for review on the appointment of Hanif Abbasi.
Chief Justice Athar Minallah on May 9 issued the directive while hearing a plea filed by Sheikh Rashid, who had challenged Abbasi’s appointment as a special assistant to the prime minister.
In the petition, Rashid pointed out that Hanif Abbasi’s appointment as SAPM through a notification is “illegal, unlawful, unconstitutional and violate principles of good governance and the rule of law'”.
The petitioner noted that an FIR dated July 21, 2012, was registered against Abbasi in Rawalpindi under Sections 9(c), 14 and 15 of the Control of Narcotic Substances Act, 1997.
He maintained that on April 11, 2019, the Lahore High Court (LHC) only suspended Abbasi’s sentence and not the conviction. The court had directed the PM to review his decision of appointing Abbasi as SAPM.
