Islamabad - The Supreme Court yesterday ordered to remove name of former secretary ministry of labour and manpower from the Exit Control
List (ECL) over the issue of appointments in Employees Old-Age Benefit Institution (EOBI) in violation of the apex court’s order.
According to the National Accountability Bureau, People’s
Party central leader Khursheed Shah was federal minister and Arif
Azeem was secretary of ministry of labour and manpower when appointments in the EOBI were made in violation of apex court’s order.
About 238 people were employed from September 2011 to May 2012 in the EOBI despite the fact that apex court in January 2011 had ordered against hiring people in the EOBI.
A two-member bench headed by Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali heard the contempt matter regarding non-compliance of its order in the EOBI case.
In the last hearing, the court had issued bailable arrest warrants of Arif Azeem and ordered to place his name on the ECL for not complying with the apex court’s order. The court had also issued notice to Opposition Leader in National Assembly and PPP central leader
Khursheed Ahmed Shah and directed him to submit concise statement.
During the proceedings, Aitzaz Ahsan appearing on behalf of the opposition leader told that the NAB had misled the apex court that Khurshid Shah was minister of labour and manpower when the appointments were made in EOBI.
While, Tariq Jehangiri, representing secretary labour and manpower, informed that his client is in America. He said Arif Azeem did not receive any notice prior to leaving for USA. The counsel argued that all the appointments in EOBI were made before Arif became secretary of labour and manpower.
Special Prosecutor NAB Nasir Mughal in the last hearing (June 16) had submitted a report.
According to it, Khursheed Shah was minister of labour and manpower from 31-03-2008 to May 2011, while Arif Azeem was secretary labour and manpower at that time when violation of the court’s order regarding appointments in the EOBI was made.
The court was annoyed with the NAB for providing wrong information.
The chief justice, therefore, issued notice to the special prosecutor general NAB to explain its reasons. The SC office was directed to fix the case after summer vacations of courts.