ISLAMABAD The federal government on Tuesday made Secretary Establishment Sohail Ahmad Officer on Special Duty (OSD) soon after he issued notification restoring FIA official Hussain Asghar to head the investigation into Haj scam. Sohail Ahmed took his responsibilities as secretary establishment after Abdul Rauf Chaudhry was relieved of his duties on completion of his employment tenure. Sohail took the charge on July 6, but he was made OSD 20 days after his appointment as secretary establishment. At the start of Haj corruption case, Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry heading a five-member bench which heard Haj scam, had inquired from the establishment secretary whether the notification for Hussain Asghar had been issued? The Supreme Court on Monday had ordered for restoring Hussain Asghar to reinvestigate the Haj corruption scam. The secretary instead of presenting the notification advanced the excuses, but the Chief Justice ordered him to present the notification by 11:30 am or to face the consequences for defying the court orders. The chief justice also said: If the Chief Executive of the country would interfere into this matter the court would take notice of it as well. He said once the apex court passes an order then state functionaries are bound to implement them. Again at 12:00 noon when the court reassembled secretary establishment presented the notification for reposting of Hussain Asghar as Director Federal Investigation Agency. He, on the bench query, said that after the issuance of the notification, Hussain Asghar would forthwith relinquish the charge of Inspector General of Gilgit-Baltistan and some other officer would substitute him. Director General FIA Tehseen Anwar Shah was directed to facilitate Hussain Asghar and his team in investigation of Haj corruption scam. The court observed that time and again it had been pointed out to the government that it was a unique case in its nature. For, besides corruption was involved in the matter, Haj scam also tarnished Pakistans image internationally. The pilgrims were provided inappropriate accommodation and the government had to pay Rs460 million from the national exchequer. But no efforts were made to recover the money. It seemed that government was not interested to recover that amount and punish the persons involved in embezzlement, the SC observed. The attorney general has been ordered to communicate this order to DG FIA and asked him to appear before the court in person today (Wednesday) to explain the efforts for facilitating Hussain Asghar and his team. During the course of hearing when inquired about DG FIA, the attorney general informed the court that he was in Karachi to look into the affairs of illegal immigration. Justice Tariq Pervaiz said that the AG was taking political dictation, as according to an Urdu daily the DG was in Islamabad yesterday (Monday). The case was adjourned till July 27. APP adds: A government spokesman on Tuesday clarified that the ex-Secretary Establishment Division while exceeding his powers, issued a notification to the effect to transfer of Inspector General (IG) Gilgit Baltistan Hussain Asghar. On this violation of the laid down rules and regulations the competent authority has made him Officer on Special Duty (OSD), said a Press release issued here. The spokesman said that the Establishment Division had moved a summary to the competent authority for the transfer of IG Gilgit Baltistan. The summary was under consideration and the opinion of Ministry of Law and Justice was solicited. In the meantime, the ex-Secretary Establishment Division himself issued the notification of the transfer of Hussain Asghar. The spokesman added that to appoint and transfer IGs and Chief Secretaries, consultation between the Chief Executive of province or region and Federal Administrative Heads concerned was essential. Moveover, for appointment and transfers, under the 1973 Rules of Business, Gilgit Baltistans Empowerment and Self Governance Order 2009 and other related rules are also applicable, he added.