ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday ordered the federal government to submit its reply in a petition challenging the appointments of 15 special assistants of prime minister. The bench expressed concern over non-submission of reply by the federation and directed it again to submit written reply against the petition so that arguments could be initiated. A division bench, comprising Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Ghulam Azam Qambrani, conducted hearing on the petition moved by a citizen Farukh Nawaz Bhatti, challenging the status of special assistants. The petitioner’s counsel requested the court to view that whether these assistants (mentioned by deputy attorney general) had been denotified by the government. Justice Farooq remarked that the question was that if special assistants could be appointed, whether they could be given the status of federal ministers.

Source: Pakistan Today February 20, 2020 15:22 UTC