ISLAMABAD (Daily Point) – The Supreme Court of Pakistan (SCP) has accepted the review petitions filed by former MD of Pakistan Television (PTV) Attaul Haq Qasmi, former finance minister Ishaq Dar, former information minister Pervez Rashid and Fawad Hasan Fawad in the appointment case of Attaul Haq Qasmi.
The court’s decision comes after a thorough investigation, which revealed no evidence of corruption or nepotism in the appointment process.
A three-member bench of the SCP, headed by Chief Justice Qazi Faiz Isa, presided over the hearing of the review petitions challenging the earlier decision regarding Mr Qasmi’s appointment. During the proceedings, the apex court acknowledged the lack of evidence substantiating allegations of corruption or nepotism.
The chief justice said that no substantial evidence of loss exceeding 19 crores to PTV was identified. Consequently, the court deemed the decision to collect money from Mr Qasmi, Mr Rashid, Mr Dar, Mr Fawad is not correct.
Moreover, the ban on Mr Qasmi’s future appointments as a director has been lifted by the court, providing a significant reprieve. In response to the court’s decision, Mr Qasmi’s lawyer Akram Sheikh, said that the case was not framed under clause 3 of Article 184 and the SC itself had become an auditor.
Fawad Hasan Fawad, one of the petitioners, emphasised Qasmi’s contributions to literature and poetry spanning five decades. He further expressed his dissent regarding the observations made in the court judgment, contending that they were inconsistent with the facts.
CJP Qazi Faiz Isa raised questions regarding the government’s involvement during the period of the court’s initial decision. Mr Fawad clarified that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was in power at the time of the court’s ruling.
The chief justice noted the admission from PTV’s counsel that the court’s assessment of damages exceeding 19 crores was incorrect, reinforcing the court’s stance on the matter.
It is noteworthy here that the former chief justice Mian Saqib Nisar had initiated an inquiry into Mr Qasmi’s appointment in a separate case, which has now culminated in the recent decision by the Supreme Court, absolving him of any wrongdoing.
