PML-N rejects Justice Saeed as head of Broadsheet Inquiry Commission

ISLAMABAD   –  Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has rejected appointment of former Supreme Court judge, Justice (R) Sheikh Azmat Saeed as head of the Broadsheet Inquiry Commission, saying no one should become a judge where there is a conflict of interest.

The statement comes a day after the government appointed former Supreme Court judge Justice (R) Sheikh Azmat Saeed to probe the Broadsheet scandal. The opposition party rejected the appointment as the “murder of justice”. PML-N spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb in a statement said conducting an investigation through someone who himself should be investigated is the murder of justice. Separately, PML-N senior leader and former prime minister, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi also rejected the appointment of Justice (R) Sheikh as head of the inquiry commission. 

On Tuesday, the federal cabinet formed the inquiry committee, which would also include a senior officer from the Federal Investigation Agency, a senior lawyer appointed by the prime minister and an official of the office of the Advocate General for Pakistan, with directions to present its report and recommendation in 45 days. Information Minister Shibli Faraz on Thursday said that former Supreme Court judge Sheikh Azmat Saeed will lead the inquiry commission to examine the circumstances relating to the Broadsheet agreement and subsequent arbitration proceedings that resulted in substantial loss to the national exchequer.

The PML-N spokesperson said that PM Imran Khan should have the courage to tell the nation that he is the one who needs the NRO. “An investigation from the former deputy prosecutor general of NAB was a bigger fraud than Broadsheet as he was a part of original signing of the agreement with the anti-graft body and was one of the negotiators in the deal,” said Marriyum. The PML-N spokesperson asked how the investigation can be transparent when conducted by the former deputy prosecutor general of NAB. She claimed that Justice (R) Azmat Saeed is also a member of Shaukat Khanum Hospital’s Board of Governors. The PML-N spokesperson further said that during the regime of Pervez Musharaff, Justice Saeed was tasked with filing cases against Sharif family and in particular against Nawaz Sharif.

It is to mention here that Justice Saeed had heard numerous high-profile cases. He was also part of the Panama Papers bench that disqualified the then prime minister Nawaz Sharif as member of the National Assembly. His profile on the Supreme Court website states that he was appointed as deputy prosecutor general of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) at Islamabad in 2000.  He was also appointed as NAB’s special prosecutor in 2001 to prosecute cases before accountability courts at Attok Fort and in Rawalpindi.

Meanwhile, addressing a press conference here, the PML-N leaders said that common man was suffering due to price-hike in the country. PML-N Senior Vice President and former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said electricity tariff was increased which will put further burden on the poor. Citing the government’s failures, Abbasi said the government has failed to ensure sufficient gas to the consumers. 

He said the most corrupt party in Pakistan’s history was in power at the moment. He said state institutions were formed to malign the politicians. 

Coming to the Broadsheet agreement, Abbasi said the Broadsheet LLC was a newly-established company which had no work on its credit. However, he said, the government signed agreement with this company in 2000. He said an amount of Rs 10b was paid to this company by the Pakistan government; one-third by the incumbent government.

The former prime minister objected to the appointment of Justice (R) Azmat Saeed as head of the Broadsheet Inquiry Commission, saying the nominated head was serving as deputy prosecutor general Punjab when the agreement was signed in 2000. He asked Justice (R) Sheikh not to accept the role as head of the inquiry commission.

Speaking on the occasion, Marriyum Orangzeb said that government tried to block the way of journalists to the Parliament Lodges. She said the media-men were stopped at the gate of the Parliament Lodges so that freedom of expression is compromised.