Pakistan's Supreme Court on Wednesday issued a contempt notice to Interior Minister Rehman Malik for constituting a new investigating team to probe the alleged corruption in a state-run steel company without seeking its consent.
A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry issued the notice to Malik for violating its orders in connection with the Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM) case.
The bench directed Malik to respond to the notice in two weeks.
The court issued the contempt notice while announcing its verdict in a suo motu case regarding alleged irregularities in PSM involving Rs 26.5 billion.
The bench expressed its complete dissatisfaction and lack of trust in the probe conducted by the Federal Investigation Agency and said the case should be transferred to the National Accountability Bureau, Pakistan's main anti-corruption watchdog.
The apex court directed the NAB chief to personally supervise the investigation and conclude the probe in three months.
The NAB chief was asked to submit a compliance report every 15 days. The court also ordered the cancellation of bail granted to accused in the case.
KHALIL CHISTY RETURNS TO HOMELAND
Virologist Mohammed Khalil Chisty, who was in an Indian jail for a 1992 murder and reached here on a plane sent by President Asif Ali Zardari, said it felt great to be back in Pakistan from 'a point of virtually no return'.
Interior Minister Rehman Malik on Tuesday night received 80-year-old Chisty, permitted by the Indian Supreme Court May 10 to visit Pakistan during the pendency of his appeal against his conviction in a murder case and life imprisonment in Ajmer. Chisty said at the Islamabad airport that he had almost lost hope, but by the grace of Allah this miracle took place and he was back home from 'a point of virtually no return'.
He also lauded Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for his kind heartedness and Pakistani leaders for making efforts for his release.
A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry issued the notice to Malik for violating its orders in connection with the Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM) case.
The bench directed Malik to respond to the notice in two weeks.
The court issued the contempt notice while announcing its verdict in a suo motu case regarding alleged irregularities in PSM involving Rs 26.5 billion.
The bench expressed its complete dissatisfaction and lack of trust in the probe conducted by the Federal Investigation Agency and said the case should be transferred to the National Accountability Bureau, Pakistan's main anti-corruption watchdog.
The apex court directed the NAB chief to personally supervise the investigation and conclude the probe in three months.
The NAB chief was asked to submit a compliance report every 15 days. The court also ordered the cancellation of bail granted to accused in the case.
KHALIL CHISTY RETURNS TO HOMELAND
Virologist Mohammed Khalil Chisty, who was in an Indian jail for a 1992 murder and reached here on a plane sent by President Asif Ali Zardari, said it felt great to be back in Pakistan from 'a point of virtually no return'.
Interior Minister Rehman Malik on Tuesday night received 80-year-old Chisty, permitted by the Indian Supreme Court May 10 to visit Pakistan during the pendency of his appeal against his conviction in a murder case and life imprisonment in Ajmer. Chisty said at the Islamabad airport that he had almost lost hope, but by the grace of Allah this miracle took place and he was back home from 'a point of virtually no return'.
He also lauded Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for his kind heartedness and Pakistani leaders for making efforts for his release.