ISLAMABAD: The government on Thursday refused to reinstate Additional Director General, Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Zafar Qureshi, who was investigating the muti-billion rupees National Insurance Company Limited (NICL) corruption scam.
On Wednesday, the Supreme Court had suspended the Interior secretary’s recent show-cause notice issued to and directed that the notification for his reinstatement, and that of four other transferred officials, be immediately issued.
The court had also taken strong exception to a campaign being launched against the judiciary on the electronic media and directed the Information secretary to look into the matter and take necessary action in this regard.
On Thursday, Attorney General for Pakistan Molvi Anwarul Haq submitted reply to a three-member bench of the apex court, comprising Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Justice Khilji Arif Hussain and Justice Amir Hani Muslim regarding the NICL case.
The government refused to reinstate Zafar Qureshi, who has been suspended for talking to media regarding official business without prior approval of competent authority. The disciplinary action against Qureshi is seen a bid to thwart the investigation into the multi-billion rupees scam involving big guns of the incumbent regime including Senior Minister Makhdoom Amin Fahim and son of Ch. Pervez Elahi, another senior minister of the incumbent regime.
It is to be mentioned here that the apex court on July 7, 2011, had directed the FIA to reverse the transfer of four officials and halt the departmental inquiry against investigating officer, Qureshi. “ “Prima facie, we are of the opinion that the transfer of these officers took place in order to undermine the authority of this Court and to influence the course of investigation, which is in clear violation of the directions of this Court,” the court said in its order.
Attorney General Maulvi Anwarul Haq had assured the court that till the pending decision of the case, no departmental inquiry could be initiated against Qureshi. However, instead of complying with the apex court’s order, the Interior Ministry reportedly issued another
