ISLAMABAD: Former judges of the Federal Shariat Court (FSC) took away with them a number of small items at the time of their retirement.

The items included laptops, printers, stabilisers and even an insect killer, which the judges retained after paying a nominal amount, an audit and inspection report on the FSC for the year 2014-2015 alleged.

According to the report, the FSC in its full court meeting held on April 18, 2014, “unanimously resolved that the chief justices and judges of the FSC on retirement, or if they cease to be the judge on elevation, can purchase the air conditioner, generator, laptop, computer or any other such articles installed or provided at their residences out of the budget at the depreciated value calculated at 40pc per annum,” the report said.

Audit report says chief justices, judges took away items under a policy formulated by FSC without govt approval

“It was further resolved that after five years the chief justices and judges will be entitled to have a new air conditioner at their residence and the old one can be retained on payment of the depreciated value. The policy will be applicable retrospectively.”

The report said under the scheme former chief justice Haziqul Khairi took away a laptop, LCD, printer, generator, briefcase, water dispenser, stabiliser, electric heater, water filter, a trolley bag, insect killer, pedestal fan and a mobile phone.

Another former chief justice, Agha Rafiq Ahmed Khan, took home a laptop and a briefcase at the time of his retirement.

Ex-judge Syed Afzal Haider retained a laptop, former judge Jehangir Arshad kept a laptop and a briefcase while ex-judge Shahzado Sheikh took away a laptop at the depreciated value.

The report claimed that the scheme caused Rs893,796 loss to the national exchequer.

“The above mentioned items were sold to the former chief justices and judges at the depreciated value of 40pc per annum without approval of the federal government as the policy in question was not approved by the government.”

The audit was of the view that “the sale of items to the former chief justices and judges at the depreciated price was irregular and unauthorised as the purchase of physical assets by the judges at the depreciated price was not covered under Supreme Court Judges (Leave, Pension, Privileges) Order 1997 and High Court Judges (Leave, Pension, Privileges) Order 1997 or under any other rules approved by the government.”

The administration of the FSC in order to justify the 40pc depreciated value informed the auditors that the life of such articles was much shorter than other articles such as cars etc.

In response to the audit objection, the administration stated, “the items were purchased by the judges in accordance with the policy approved in a full court meeting.”

The audit report, however, termed the reply “not satisfactory”, adding the policy for the purchase of items by the chief justices and judges had been formulated without the approval of the government. The audit recommended that the responsibility for the irregularity may be fixed.

The report claimed that the hiring of former registrar Bin Yamin in grade 21 was irregular as there was no provision for the appointment on a contractual basis for a period of three years that too without advertising the vacancy.

When this reporter visited the office of the registrar, Aymon Zia, he was not available for comments.

Deputy Registrar (admin) Shabnam Amir Khan said since she had recently been posted to the FSC, she did not know much about the audit para. She said Superintendent Kamran Cheema might be contacted to get the updates.

Mr Cheema, however, said as per his information there was no progress on the audit para after the auditors submitted the report.

Published in Dawn, April 19th, 2017