ISLAMABAD – The Supreme Court on Thursday ordered the federal government to appoint a chairperson for the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) from the minority community.
A bench headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar issued the order while hearing a suo motu case pertaining to Thar Coal Power Plant.
The top judge, during the hearing, inquired for how the ETPB is running without a permanent chief.
The trust, which looks after the affairs of minorities’ religious places in the country, is working without a regular chairman for around ten months.
In January this year, the apex court had removed Siddiqul Farooq, who had been appointed by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, as the chairman.
https://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/headline/sc-dismisses-etpb-chairman-siddiqul-farooq-in-katas-raj-case/
The chief justice observed that minority MNA Dr. Ramesh Kumar should be named ETPB chairman. He also directed the additional attorney general to get approval for the appointment from the federal cabinet.
A meeting of the federal cabinet is being chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan today and it is likely that name for the heads of state institutions will be finalised.
Siddiqul Farooq’s Dismissal
Hearing the Katas Raj suo motu case, the apex court had summoned Farooq over his controversial appointment and role in the ETPB.
On January 31, the court dismissed him.
“Farooq’s credentials for appointment are his 30 years of political service,” observed the chief justice, adding that someone who collected newspapers in the party office was appointed to such an important post.
