The Supreme Court Monday declared the appointment of Musharraf Rasool as chief executive officer (CEO) of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) in violation of rule and laws. A three-member bench, headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, granted leave to the appeal of PIA Officers Association and said Musharraf was not qualified to be appointed as the CEO of PIA. Besides the procedures, his appointment was not in accordance with the rule of law, the order said.
The PIA Officers Association had challenged the appointment of Musharraf Rasool, while the Auditor General of Pakistan preliminary report suggested that he was not appointed as per the rules of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).
Justice Ijaz-ul-Ahsan said that as per the report of the AGP, Musharraf Rasool was appointed illegally. He said according to the rule, the name for the CEO will be short-listed and then the board will interview the candidates for the post.
The judge questioned if Sardar Mehtab Abbasi, who was then advisor to the PM on Civil Aviation, sat in the committee set up for the appointment of the CEO.
"Sardar Mehtab Abbasi was a party to the appointment," Justice Ahsan observed, to which the Chief Justice added: "Musharraf has been the personal secretary of Abbasi as well." "Was Musharraf Rasool interviewed by the board?" Justice Ijaz asked.
"When the foundation is wrong, the entire building collapses," he said.
Naeem Bukhari, representing Musharraf Rasool argued that his client obtained the highest marks in the test. He said that the Islamabad High Court has already decided that the matter should be sent to the cabinet.
"We set aside the IHC's decision," the Chief Justice said, adding: "Such organizations should have capable and competent persons. Now, good people should come and set things right."
The Chief Justice said what experience Mehtab Abbasi had of running the national flag carrier. He was appointed advisor on CAA on the political grounds. He said that Abbasi, who was an outsider, was involved in the appointment of Musharraf, and asked how he could do this. "We respect Abbasi as a politician but he had no experience to run the PIA."
Earlier, the Chief Justice said that they had referred the matter to the federal government in July but they did not decide it. He said as the government has not examined the appointment, therefore, they would decide it.
The court said that there should be tourists' attraction and one of these steps in this regard is the cheapest fares for the hilly locations, i.e. Gilgit-Baltistan and Hunza. He said that the PIA should examine this aspect.
An official of the Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP) informed the court that certain audit objections have been conveyed to the PIA administration. The meeting in this regard will be held on September 12 and 13. He stated if the required documents are provided to the AGP then the audit report will be submitted to the court on September 18.
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