ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Monday has taken suo motu notice into the nomination of Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf’s son-in-law, Raja Azeem-ul-Haque, as an executive director of the World Bank.

The suo motu notice was taken over media reports.

A three-member bench of the Supreme Court headed by Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali has also been constituted to hear the case on Dec 19.

According to media reports, the PM appointed his son-in-law to the post by using his discretionary powers.

The finance ministry had opposed Mr Haque’s nomination even though the summary for his appointment was moved by the Economic Affairs Division. Ultimately, the finance ministry had to give in to the wishes of the Prime Minister Secretariat, said the reports.

Some government officials had been critical of Mr Haque’s nomination because of his ‘quick promotions’ within a few years from grade 18 to 21.

Raja Azeem-ul-Haque, an officer of the Income Tax Group, was working in grade 18 when the PPP government came into power more than four years ago. He left this job and was hired by the Employees Old-age Benefit Institution in grade 20 about two years ago.

Soon after Raja Pervez Ashraf assumed the PM’s office, he was elevated to grade 21 and posted in the Prime Minister Secretariat.