Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday, turned downed the petition filed against the appointment of Shahzad Akbar as special assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) on Accountability.
The petition was heard by IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah who in a nine-page verdict rejected the petition filed against the appointment of Shahzad Akbar as SAPM on accountability.
The court cited Article 93 of the 1973 Constitution of Pakistan which states that the President is empowered to appoint not more than five advisors on the advice of the Prime Minister.
“The prime minister may tender advice to the president to appoint not more than five advisers. A court cannot substitute its own opinion with that of the prime minister and the matter thus falls outside the ambit of justiciability,” read the court verdict.
In his petition, Advocate Pervez Zahoor had challenged Shahzad Akbar’s appointment as SAPM urging the court to declare his appointment illegal, null and void.
Furthermore, the court verdict highlighted that an advisor is not a part of federal cabinet and cannot attend its meetings unless required to do on the directions of Prime Minister himself via a special invitation.
