The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has suspended the notification which appointed Abrar ul Haq as the chairman of the Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS).
According to reports, IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah suspended the notification issued last week as he was hearing a petition filed by outgoing PRCS Chairman Dr Saeed Elahi against Haq’s appointment.
Elahi was appointed as the PRCS chairman in 2014 by the PML-N government and granted an extension for another term in 2017. He was removed last week by President Alvi, who is the patron of PRCS.
PTI officials reveal that Elahi was removed for openly criticising the government, adding that he had been accused of corruption and nepotism during his two tenures.
Meanwhile, Elahi says that his removal was illegal because he had neither completed his tenure nor was there any logical reason to remove him from the position. Elahi explained that under the rules of PRCS, only the management body had the power to make appointments. He said that the chairman of PRCS can only be removed before the completion of the term if they submit their resignation to the president, adding that his removal was also in violation of the fundamental rights provided in the Constitution, according to which “no one can be condemned unheard”.
He challenged Haq’s appointment in the court on November 16 on the grounds of conflict of interest and nepotism. Elahi asserted that Haq had a conflict of interest with the organisation as the singer-turned-politician not only runs a hospital and private college but also collects donations for his non-government organisation Sahara Trust.
The court suspended the notification of Haq’s appointment and issued notices to President Arif Alvi, secretary cabinet division, secretary national health service and Haq, all of whom have been named as respondents, and demanded a written response. The hearing was adjourned until November 29.
