ISLAMABAD - The Supreme Court on Thursday directed federal and provincial governments to ensure that officers discharging their duties in government departments on the contract after their retirement were not reemployed in violation of the law. An eight-member bench headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and comprised Justice Javed Iqbal, Justice Raja Fayyaz Ahmed, Justice Sair Ali, Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali, Justice Asif Saeed Khosa, Justice Ghulam Rabbani and Justice Khalilur Rehman Ramday was hearing Haj scandal case. Attorney General Maulvi Anwar-ul-Haq also presented a list of 13 officers posted particularly in police and FIA on contract after their retirement. The Chief Justice inquired from him according to which law these people had been employed on contract. The court noticed that prima facie reemploying them was in violation of Section 14 of Civil Servant Act 1873 as well as instruction contained in ESTACODE. The Chief Justice said that in reemploying them judgments of the superior court had not been considered. Justice Asif Khosa stated that reemployment of retired officers was not the need of the departments but some political masters needed them. Justice Ramday said that it had also come into notice of the court that the officers were appointed in the ministries on the verbal orders of the prime minister. The Chief Justice directed the federation and the province to ratify it otherwise the court would pass an order in this regard. The court observed that for establishing rule of law this was necessary that relevant provisions should be followed strictly in letter and spirit otherwise it would not be possible to provide an effective machinery of law particularly in police that was responsible to ensure law and order in the country. The violation of law is also tantamount to blocking of the promotion of the junior officer who are waiting for their promotion. This is not only for the police, but also for the purpose of achieving good governance, the same principle should be followed and strictly applied in other departments as well. The attorney general was asked if any civil servant or other person who had been re-employed, his case be also examined in terms of the provisions of law and both federal and provincial governments should take necessary steps to ensure that reemployment or employment on contract basis were not made in violation of the relevant law. The court rejected the FIA report regarding investigation of Haj corruption, saying there were many flaws in it, as it was not conducted in an appropriate manner because so many important issues had been left out. Attorney General Maulvi Anwar-ul-Haq placed new notification according to that Syed Javed Ali Shah Bukhari (BS-21) had the authority to conduct the investigation in the case freely. Javed Hussain Bukhari, Additional Director General Federal Investigation Agency, informed that Hussain Asghar was in Saudi Arabia and conducting the investigation. When Bukhari was asked about the evidences against former minister for religious affairs Hamid Saeed Kazmi, he replied they had traced connection between Rao Shakeel, former DG Haj in Saudi Arabia, and Ahmed Faiz, another person involved in Haj scam. He said State Minister for Religious Affair Shagufta Jumani was also involved in corruption; as they had found some evidence against her as well. Jawed read out the statement of Zain Sukhaira, according to that Sukhaira travelled with Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilanis family to Saudi Arabi twice. He had done LLM but was appointed as IT consultant at the Ministry of Science and Technology. He said that all efforts were being made to arrest Ahmed Faiz. The Additional DG FIA said they were also probing that a big building was hired in Saudi Arabia during the Haj last year, but most of its portion remained vacant. He said it caused Rs20 million loss to the national exchequer. Afnan Kundi, counsel former federal minister for science and technology Azam Khan Swati, provided more information related to the case. But the Chief Justice told him that his client had to prove the allegations with documentary evidence. The Chief Justice asked Bukhari to submit weekly progress report about the case and adjourned the hearing till February 10, 2011.