The Supreme Court Pakistan formed on Friday a JIT in a case involving the transfer of Islamabad IG Jan Muhammad and asked Minister for Science and Technology Azam Swati to submit his resignation immediately.
During the hearing, the court mulled opening an investigation into Swati’s ability to hold office under Article 62 of the Constitution. He has been summoned at the next hearing along with a video of him.
During the suo motu hearing, the court took back its earlier order to hand over additional charge of the post of Islamabad IG to another senior officer.
The court has ordered that NAB’s Irfan Mangi be appointed the head of the JIT. Mangi was also in the JIT formed to investigate the Panama Papers case.
The JIT has 14 days to complete investigations and submit a report to the court. Also part of the JIT are the Intelligence Bureau’s Ahmed Rizwan, FIA’s Mirwaiz and the NAB director general. The court has asked the JIT to ascertain what happened at Swati’s farmhouse and take a look into his assets.
An understanding has been reached between Swati and the affected family, said the court. The court said that Swati abused his position of power.
Swati’s lawyer Barrister Ali Zafar submitted an apology on behalf of the minister in court which held the police responsible for an argument between the family that had allegedly encroached on the minister’s land and his staff.
The court, however, rejected the apology and said that it would form a JIT to probe the transfer of the Islamabad police chief.
“We will also examine Article 62(1)(f) in this matter,” said Chief Justice Saqib Nisar. “We have great respect for the Parliament. Power should not be misused this way.”
Taking exception to Zafar, the chief justice said you are the lawyer of every other big name, why shouldn’t we revoke your licence?
In his statement to the court, Swati assigned the responsibility for the whole episode to the police. I leave myself at the mercy of the court, he said.
In his reply he also submitted documents relating to his American citizenship. The incident happened on October 24 evening, said Swati, adding that he contacted the police but didn’t get a reply. I faxed a reply to the IG office, he said, adding that despite the passage of two days, he did not get a reply.
After two days, members of the family assaulted my employees, said the minister, adding that he then had an FIR registered against eight unidentified suspects. The IG was not transferred because I made a phone call, he assured, adding that the media has misreported the incident.
