ISLAMABAD: Former Army Chief General (R) Raheel Sharif and former ISI ChiefGeneral (R) Shuja Pasha have come under scrutiny from the top court.
The Supreme Court asked on Wednesday why former top army generals had goneabroad for employment despite a law barring government officers from doingso for two years post-retirement.
Hearing the suo motu case of dual nationalities of government employeestoday, Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Mian Saqib Nisar observed thatformer Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief Lieutenant General (retd)Shuja Pasha and former chief of army staff General (retd) Raheel Sharif hadfound employment abroad within two-years after retirement.
“According to the law, government officers cannot sign an employmentcontract abroad for two years after their retirement. Generals Pasha andSharif, both, found employment abroad. Is the law not applicable to armyofficers?” the chief justice asked.linklink
Defence Secretary Lt Gen (retd) Zamir-ul-Hassan Shah apprised the courtthat both retired officers had obtained a no-objection certificate (NOC)prior to leaving the country for employment.
In response, the chief justice noted that those who serve the country attop positions are privy to sensitive information. “Individuals who haveheaded sensitive departments should, in fact, be provided security,”Justice Nisar remarked.
The defence secretary then informed the apex court that the federalgovernment had permitted both generals to sign foreign employmentcontracts.
However, Shah, who served in the army as the adjutant general, admitted hewas unsure of the rules barring government servants from obtaining foreignemployment till two years after their retirement.