ISLAMABAD - The Islamabad High Court on Monday dissolved the Prime Minister’s Task Force on Islamabad with immediate effect and ruled that there was no such law in the Constitution of the country, which allows establishment of such type of force.
Justice Shaukat Siddiqui heard the petition filed by Barrister Zafraullah who challenged the establishment of PM’s Task Force and claimed that Faisal Sakhi Butt, Chairman of PM’s Task Force, was illegally heading the civic body (CDA).
In the petition, he filed in the Islamabad High Court earlier this month, Barrister Zafraullah claimed that only the CDA chairman can head the civic body according to rules and regulations.
Complying with the petitioner, the Islamabad High Court judge Shaukat Siddiqui ordered to dissolve the Prime Minister Task Force with immediate effect and asked the CDA chairman to head the civic body (Capital Development Authority) according rules and regulations and adjourned the hearing until 3rd week of June.
It is pertinent to mention that the Islamabad High Court during its last hearing on May 11, 2012, had barred the chairperson of the Prime Minister’s Task Force on Islamabad from acting in capacity of chairman until May 21. On Monday, resuming hearing of the case, the Islamabad High Court cancelled the notification of establishment of CDA Task Force and adjourned hearing until next month.
During the previous hearing, the court had summoned Butt while hearing a petition filed by a Kashmiri migrant regarding land allotment. Counsel for the petitioner, Advocate Niazullah Niazi, informed the court that while Butt is not the CDA chairman, it is he who is actually running the civic body.
The petition is based on the non-provision of compensation to Niazi’s client for 39 kanals.
Faisal Sakhi Butt after being appointed Chairman of the PM’s Task Force on Islamabad had virtually commanded the civic authority’s affairs, which was quite hard for many to digest as they consider that there was no room for establishment this Task Force in the Constitution.
Even a big chunk of money was spent on the publicity of Faisal Sakh Butt through banners carrying his pictures erected in almost all parts of the federal capital.
Monday, 4 June 2012
IHC dissolves PM's Task Force on Islamabad - The Nation, Pakistan
Wednesday, 25 April 2012
No law can force me to return home: Haqqani - PakistanToday.com.pk
Talking to a private TV channel, Haqqani said that he was handicapped from traveling to Pakistan only because of health and security issues.
"Had these considerations not been there, I would have returned to the country without any further delay", he maintained.
"I have fully cooperated with the memo commission earlier, and am eager to record my statement even now", he asserted.
"However, if my doctors do not allow me to travel, what should I do"? he questioned while arguing that this was the reason for him to seek permission for recording statement via video link.
"I stayed in Islamabad for a couple of months, but everybody was waiting for Mansoor Ijaz during that period", he recalled, adding that it was not impossible for the authorities concerned to allow him permission for recording his statement through video link in light of his constraints.
Responding to some voices within Pakistan to bring Haqqani back to Pakistan by hook or crook, the embattled former ambassador said that there was no such provision in law.
"Millions of Pakistanis live abroad, but there is no such law that could force them to return to their country", he observed.
When asked about his expectations from the memo case in the next hearings, Haqqani opined that the case had lost its steam. "I believe the story of memo has come to its logical end and only the commission's proceedings are left behind", he asserted.
It may be mentioned here that the Supreme Court, during a hearing on Tuesday, had disposed off Husain Haqqani's petition seeking recording of his statement via video link. A nine-member bench, headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, observed that it was up to the memo commission to record the testimony of Husain Haqqani from abroad or summon him in the country for the purpose.