Shahbaz’ appointment as PAC chairman challenged in LHC

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) was moved on Friday against the appointment of Opposition Leader Shahbaz Sharif as the chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

The petitioner, Azhar Siddiqui advocate, has named the federal government and National Assembly speaker as respondents in his plea. In his petition, Siddiqui stated, “Shahbaz is not fit for the position as he is facing corruption allegations”.

The petitioner requested the LHC to declare Shahbaz’s PAC chairman appointment as null and void. Shahbaz, who is in the custody of National Accountability Bureau (NAB), was elected as the PAC chairman unopposed on December 21. His name for the post of committee chairman was suggested by lawmaker Sheikh Rohail Asghar and confirmed by Mushahid Hussain. A day earlier, National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaisar issued a production order for Shahbaz to chair the first meeting of the PAC on Friday.

Earlier this month, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government conceded the chairmanship of PAC to Shahbaz, almost three months after a stalemate over the key position. The government had long stuck to its stance that the opposition should come up with any name other than Shahbaz for the chairmanship as he was accused in the Ashiana Housing scandal, but the opposition was of the view that past traditions of the National Assembly should be honoured.