ISLAMABAD, April 9: Lt-Gen (retired) Naeem Khalid Lodhi, who is fighting a legal battle against his dismissal as defence secretary by the government in its stand-off with the military over the memogate scandal in January, has been appointed head of the Fauji Fertilizer Company (FFC), Dawn had learnt.

However, his counsel said the general was still keen to get his former post back and unwilling to withdraw his petition, challenging his removal, from Islamabad High Court (IHC).

Sources in the FFC confirmed his appointment as managing director and chief executive of the company, saying the army General Headquarters (GHQ) had strongly recommended him for the position.

Gen (retired) Lodhi replaced Lt-Gen (retired) Malik Arif Hayat on March 26, 2012, according to the sources. Though the changeover was notified to FFC stakeholders, it was not announced to the media.

FFC spokesman Brig (retired) Tariq Sohail said the appointment of Gen Lodhi had been made in accordance with the FFC rules. It was approved by the Board of Directors of the FFC, but not on the recommendation of the GHQ, he said.

Defence analyst Lt-Gen Jamshaid Ayaz, however, believes that the position of FFC head is always filled on the recommendation of Chief of Army Staff (COAS). He said Gen Lodhi was an upright army officer and his role in memogate controversy was in accordance with the law. "His appointment is an acknowledgement of the army for his services."

For Gen (retired) Lodhi pursuing his case in the Islamabad High Court is "a matter of life and death", according to his lawyer, Advocate F. K. Butt.

"Gen Lodhi is still eager to pursue his case in the IHC as he wanted to restore his dignity," he said.

In the petition filed on January 17, 2012, the retired army officer claimed that his termination as defence secretary was illegal, and that it was intended to clear the way to arbitrarily remove the army chief and the then director-general Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

He stated that on November 28, 2011 he was appointed as defence secretary for a period of two years, but on January 11, 2012 the government dismissed him from service without issuing any charge-sheet or showcause notice.

Lt-Gen Lodhi also accused the bureaucracy and the civilian government of pressuring him to sign an affidavit on the memogate issue prepared by the government functionaries.

He said he could not justify signing an affidavit prepared by someone else and one that was contrary to the true and actual facts. He believes the affidavit conflicts with the written statements submitted by the army chief and DG ISI to the Supreme Court.

It may be pertinent to mention here that the government in their replies submitted to the apex court termed the memorandum a pack of lies while the versions of the army chief and DG ISI were different from the one filed by the government.

Despite several attempts, Gen Lodhi could not be contacted for comments.