ISLAMABAD: Islamabad High Court (IHC) Wednesday expressed displeasure over non-submission of replies by the respondents in a writ petition challenging the appointments of 15 special assistants to Prime Minister Imran Khan.

A division bench of the IHC comprising Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb heard the petition moved by a citizen, Farukh Nawaz Bhatti, challenging the status of special assistants to the prime minister.

He made prime minister and special assistants as respondents.

Expressing his annoyance over non-submission of replies by the other respondents, Justice Aamer said that the court was issuing the notice for the fourth and the last time. He made it clear that if any respondent did not submit till the next hearing then the court would start ex-parte proceedings against him.

Later, the court adjourned the hearing in this matter till the second week of August for further proceedings.

In the petition, Bhatti sought declaration of sub-rule (6) of Rule 4 of the Rules of Business, 1973, as ultra vires to the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, illegal and the appointments of the Respondent Nos. 3 to 18 in exercise of the said rule as unconstitutional, illegal, a burden on debt-trapped national economy, having unconstitutional, ultra vires and illegal status as the federal ministers and ministers of the State, as the case may, misuse of public office and discretion only to accommodate friends and cronies on public expense without having specialization in the relevant fields to be known or said as Special Assistants to the Prime Minister (SAPM), a few having dual nationalities and being as such not entitled to hold offices or status as the federal minister or the minister of the State.

"All such appointments are liable to be set aside ab initio from their dates of appointment with a further direction to declare the actions, decisions or exercise of any power under any law as well as receipt of any financial benefit including their salaries, allowances, perks, privileges, etc., as illegal, void ab initio, coram non judice and illegal gain and direct for recovery of such salaries, allowances, perks, privileges, etc., from the Respondent No. 3 to 18," added the petition.

It further said that as far as their competence and expertise in their respective areas allocated to them was questionable as there was no noteworthy and substantial contribution of them towards the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and its governance system excepted they had enjoyed the friendly relations or managed their appointments by using undue influence and receiving hefty salaries, allowances, perks and privileges.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020