Summary sent to PM to review Hanif Abbasi’s appointment, IHC told

ISLAMABAD: The Cabinet Division Saturday informed the Islamabad High Court (IHC) that a summary has been sent to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to review the appointment of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) leader Hanif Abbasi as his special assistant.

In line with the court’s notice, Cabinet Division's Deputy Secretary Khurram Ghaznavi submitted an interim report in the IHC, stating that a summary has been sent to the prime minister through the Ministry of Law and Justice requesting him to revisit his decision regarding the appointment of Hanif Abbasi.

However, the Cabinet Division also clarified that the report submitted in the IHC is an interim report and the final report and section-wise replies will be submitted after the orders from the prime minister.

On April 27, former interior minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed challenged the notification regarding the appointment of PMLN’s Abbasi as an SAPM.

According to the petition, Abbasi has been convicted in ephedrine quota case against which an appeal regarding his sentence is pending in the Lahore High Court. The petitioner said that a convicted person cannot be appointed as the SAPM.

IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah issued a notice to the Cabinet Division directing the premier to review the appointment. The matter will be discussed further in the next hearing scheduled on May 17.