ISLAMABAD – Literary giant, Ata ul Haq Qasmi, has been summoned to the apex court by the Chief Justice of Pakistan, Mian Saqib Nisar today.
The directives were issued by the top court in a case pertaining to the ‘dubious’ appointment of the renowned poet as the chairman of Pakistan Television Corporation back in 2015.
During the hearing of the case on Wednesday, the top judge remarked that Qasmi was appointed to the post despite that he exceeded the prescribed age limit.
‘Writing Khawaja and Sons and Sheeda Talli is the touchstone for which Qasmi was appointed as the chief of state-run television,’ wondered the chief justice and questioned whether he was fit enough to lead the institution.
Upon this, Qasmi’s counsel, Ayesha Hamid replied that the age relaxation was not solely done to oblige his client.
The reply angered the top judge who replied that whether the counsel considered the bench ‘brainless’.
‘Don’t we know what’s being done,’ remarked the judge while addressing Hamid.
The columnist’s counsel also objected to the jurisdiction of the top court in the matter arguing that the august court was not the proper forum to review the appointment.
https://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/pakistan/cjp-nisar-wants-former-ptv-chief-ata-ul-haq-qasmi-to-return-rs270-million/
To this, Mian Saqib Nisar observed that the case pertains to public office and so the court could look into the matter.
He asked the counsel to review the sequence of events that followed Qasmi’s appointment, remarking that there was a malicious intent behind the controversy.
During an earlier hearing, the top judge had asked the political analyst to return Rs 270 million in the national exchequer so that the case could be shelved.
‘The money could also be recovered from Nawaz Sharif, who was the prime minister at the time of Qasmi’s appointment,’ observed the judge and added that the money would be invested for construction of dams in the country.
