ISLAMABAD – Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar on Monday warned he will cancel former the passport of former finance minister Ishaq Dar over not appearing before the apex court despite being summoned.
A three-member bench was hearing a suo motu case pertaining to the appointment of Pakistan Television former chairman Ata ul Haq Qasmi as managing director the state-run TV and the amount of salary and perks he received as MD and chief.
During the hearing, the top judge asked the attorney general of Pakistan if Dar is present in the court, to which, he informed that the former minister is in London.
Showing resentment over no-show, the chief justice warned that the court will revoke the passport, a traveling document, of Dar as he failed to attend the court hearing despite being summoned.
He added that the Supreme Court will mull over issuing red warrants against the leaders of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) who has also been declared absconder by an accountability court in a corruption reference.
He vowed to take all measures to bring back the former finance minister to Pakistan. The chief justice also summoned the Ministry of Interior official to brief the court of the steps necessary for his return.
The hearing of the case has been briefly adjourned till Interior Ministry officials appear before the three-judge bench.
https://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/pakistan/sc-summons-dar-others-in-qasmi-appointment-case/
On July 5, the apex court summoned former finance minister Ishaq Dar, the then Federal Secretary Information Muhammad Azam and the then Secretary Finance Waqar Masood on July 9 on account of approving salary, perks and privileges of Ata-ul-Haq Qasmi.
https://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/headline/sc-summons-ata-ul-haq-qasmi-in-shady-appointment-case/
Earlier, literary giant, Ata ul Haq Qasmi, was summoned to the apex court by the Chief Justice of Pakistan, Mian Saqib Nisar.
During a previous 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.
https://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/pakistan/rs270m-compensation-sc-takes-suo-moto-notice-on-atta-ul-haq-qasmis-appointment-as-ptv-chairman/
The large amount of compensation Qasmi allegedly received during his time at PTV caught the eye of Justice Nisar, who observed that the former chairman received at least Rs1m monthly.