ISLAMABAD: The federal government on Thursday filed a petition in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) requesting it to vacate the stay order which the court had issued against the suspension of Accountant General of Pakistan Revenue (AGPR).

On December 18, the establishment division had suspended AGPR Tahir Mehmood for a period of three months.

However, on December 20, IHC Justice Noorul Haq N. Qureshi suspended the establishment division’s order and also issued notices to the respondents.

The respondents – secretary establishment, secretary finance division and auditor general of Pakistan – were directed to submit a reply by the first week of January.

On Thursday, the federal government, through its counsel Hafiz S. A. Rehman, contended in the petition that the government had suspended AGPR Mehmood because certain allegations had been levelled against him and an inquiry of his alleged wrongdoings was underway.

The petition maintained that in order to ensure a fair and transparent inquiry against Mr Mehmood, the government had temporarily suspended him for a period of three months.

During the suspension, the AGPR would get his full salary and other benefits he is entitled to, the petition maintained.

On the other hand, AGPR Mehmood, in his petition, maintained that the government had victimised him for implementing the orders of the Supreme Court regarding the release of funds for development schemes of former prime minister Raja Pervez Ashraf.

He said he had advised the governor of State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) to refrain from issuing direct advance to the federal government from the federal consolidated fund.

In addition, Mr Mehmood said the government was displeased with him after he sent references against finance secretary Waqar Masood to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for releasing Rs317 billion to oil marketing companies in a shady manner.

Similarly, he said he had also brought NAB’s attention to the payment of billions of rupees to a private contractor for the construction of a hospital and hostel in Afghanistan.