The Supreme Court on Friday issued notice to Adnan A Khwaja, directing him to explain why he assumed the charge of Managing Director of the Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDC) despite being disqualified for 10 years on September 21 to take such post being an NAB convict.
A three-member bench comprising Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Justice Tariq Parvez and Justice Ghulam Rabbani was hearing a suo motu notice taken on the reported appointment of Adnan Khawaja as chairman of OGDC by the government. Adnan was appointed OGDC chief on September 8, and the notification was withdrawn on September 16.
The court issued notice to NAB to explain whether Adnan's appeal had been finally decided by the Islamabad High Court or not. In addition, Establishment Division Secretary was directed to inform the court on next hearing (on September 21) why Adnan was appointed on two posts - MD OGDC, and chairman, Nevtec.
Adnan was the co-accused in a corruption case filed by NAB under Section 10 of the NAB Ordinance. He was convicted in that case with two-year rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 0.2 million. He was also disqualified for a period of ten years from seeking or being elected, chosen, appointed or nominated as member of any public office, any statuary or local authority of the government or granted any financial facilities in the form of any loan by any government bank. The Islamabad High Court had set aside the judgement of the Accountability Court after giving the benefit of NRO to Adnan Khawaja on December 4, 2008. In view of the apex court's verdict declaring the NRO null and void, all such cases stood revived.
In the wake of the suo motu notice by the apex court and the subsequent revelations in the media, the government annulled the appointment of Adnan Khawaja as OGDC chairman only a day after he assumed the charge.
The Chief Justice said if Adnan had not completed his sentence then he would again go to jail. Adnan informed the court that he was on bail and his appeal in NRO case was pending before the court. He said he had served as chairman of NEVTEC and worked without pay.
The Chief Justice said that when he was disqualified, why he took that post. "You have violated the Supreme Court and Accountability Court decisions. You have misused your authority", the Chief Justice said. The Chief Justice noted that Adnan was granted bail when no one wanted to touch the NAB cases.
Ismail Qureshi, Secretary, Establishment Division, informed the court that he did not know that Adnan was a convict in NAB cases but as soon as he came to know through media he brought the matter to the notice of the prime minister, who immediately ordered withdrawal of the notification of the appointment. However, Qureshi once again expressed helplessness as he did in case of promotion of Kamran Lashari as Chief Secretary of Sindh that Establishment Division had not forwarded the summary for Adnan's appointment and the orders had come from the 'top'.
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