The top court on Thursday asked former Secretary Ministry of Labour and Manpower Arif Azeem to appear in person before the court in connection with a contempt plea on illegal appointments scam in Employees Old-Age Benefits Institution (EOBI) during 2010. Resuming the hearing of the matter, a three-member bench led by Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali issued bailable warrants for Arif Azeem against a security of Rs 100,000 amid placing his name on Exist Control List (ECL). Besides, the bench asked opposition leader Syed Khurshid Shah to appear and submit a concise statement during the next date of hearing.
Appearing before the bench, Nasir Mughal, Special Prosecutor of National Accountability Bureau (NAB), submitted a report in pursuance of court's earlier directives that Syed Khurshid Ahmed Shah was the Minister of Labour and Manpower from March 31, 2008 to May 2011 when, in violation of a Court's order of January 21, 2011, appointments were made in EOBI.The bench was apprised that ex-Secretary of the Ministry Arif Azeem from Secretariat Group/BPS-22 was on "Awaiting Posting" notice in Establishment Division since April 01,2016. Mughal told the court that Arif Azeem has been telephonically informed about the notice of Supreme Court on his available mobile number, adding that Azeem said that he is on ex-Pakistan leave and would go abroad for a medical checkup. After examining the NAB's report, the apex court issued notices to Arif Azeem and Khurshid Shah for a date to be fixed after Ramazan.