Islamabad (HRNW)- Supreme Court Judge Justice Hashim Kakar has remarked that even the Prime Minister is not bound to accept or implement illegal orders, including those related to civil servants. These remarks were made during the hearing of a case related to illegal recruitments in OGDL by a three-member bench headed by Justice Hashim Kakar.
During the hearing, the NAB lawyer informed the court that overstaffing had taken place in OGDL. Former minister Anwar Saifullah allegedly directed the chairman of OGCL to issue appointment letters, while job appointment letters were also sent to the office of the federal minister. The NAB lawyer further stated that the recruitment process should have been carried out through proper advertisement.
Justice Hashim Kakar observed that over-recruitment exists in almost every government institution and remarked that “he is not a king, he just ordered,” emphasizing that no authority is above the law. In response, the NAB lawyer stated that civil servants are often punished if they refuse to comply with such orders. Justice Salahuddin Panwar remarked that the public often demands jobs from ministers.
It was also informed during the hearing that privatization had to be carried out in PIA due to overstaffing and that the recruitments were made at a time when the Accountability Commission law did not exist. Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim stated that the concerned federal minister has already served his sentence. Justice Hashim Kakar questioned whether the stigma of punishment was not enough after the completion of the sentence.
The NAB lawyer requested the court to dismiss the review petition and uphold the original decision. The court directed the lawyers to prepare for further proceedings on the review petition of the former minister.
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