Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) on Tuesday wrote to nominated caretaker prime minister Nasirul Mulk, asking him to declare Ali Jahangir Siddiqui's appointment as Pakistan's Ambassador to the US null and void.

The letter, penned by PTI's spokesperson Fawad Chaudhary, said that Siddiqui is "facing NAB cases" and to make him an ambassador is equivalent to the "murder of national interest."

A combined investigation team of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Lahore had on April 18 interrogated Siddiqui for over an hour in an alleged embezzlement case.

Earlier this month, NAB's Karachi chapter had also appealed to the Sindh High Court to place Siddiqui's name on the Exit Control List due to an ongoing investigation in multiple corruption cases against him.

However, Siddiqui's lawyer had argued that NAB was not authorised to hold an inquiry into the allegations since it was the domain of the Securities and Exchange Commission Pakistan.

Chaudhary today demanded that Siddiqui's appointment be declared void and that a "competent and seasoned" person be chosen to replace him.

Chaudhary also alleged in the letter that Siddiqui's appointment came as a result of his family's "close relations" with Prime Minister Shahid Khawan Abbasi.

Siddiqui's appointment has been a cause of much controversy at home as opposition parties accuse Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi of appointing his "business partner's son" as the top envoy to the US.

Siddiqui had earlier served Prime Minister Abbasi as a special assistant, advising the prime minister on economic and business matters.

He is the chairman of JS Bank Ltd and son of stockbroker-turned-banker Jahangir Siddiqui.

Ali Siddiqui has also been a director in Airblue — which is also connected to the prime minister's family — Lucky Cement, Azgard Nine, and numerous other companies.

His appointment as ambassador has been challenged in various courts in Pakistan while opposition parliamentarians in both the National Assembly and the Senate have also rejected it.

Reports in the media claimed that the army chief also opposed the appointment in a recent, informal conversation with senior journalists.

Last month, the Islamabad High Court summoned a reply from Siddiqui over a case challenging his appointment as ambassador to the US.

Asma Hamid's appointment as Advocate General Punjab challenged in LHC

The Lahore High Court on Tuesday also received a petition demanding that Asma Hamid's appointment as the advocate general of Punjab be nullified.

The petition, submitted by Barrister Javed Iqbal Jaffri, argues that Hamid's appointment was not based on merit and she had been promoted out of turn shortly before the dissolution of the Punjab Assembly.

According to the petition, Hamid's appointment is based on political affiliations and thus it should be declared void.

Opinion

Editorial

Disregarding CCI
Updated 04 Nov, 2024

Disregarding CCI

The failure to regularly convene CCI meetings means that the process of democratic decision-making is falling apart.
Defeating TB
04 Nov, 2024

Defeating TB

CONSIDERING the fact that Pakistan has the fifth highest burden of tuberculosis in the world as per the World Health...
Ceasefire charade
Updated 04 Nov, 2024

Ceasefire charade

The US talks of peace, while simultaneously arming and funding their Israeli allies, are doomed to fail, and are little more than a charade.
Concerning measures
Updated 03 Nov, 2024

Concerning measures

The govt must seek political input and consensus on the changes it is seeking to make and be open about its intentions.
Short-lived relief?
03 Nov, 2024

Short-lived relief?

POLICYMAKERS must be jumping with joy. At the close of the first quarter of FY25, the budget posted a consolidated...
Brisk spread
03 Nov, 2024

Brisk spread

THE surge in polio cases has reached distressing levels with a tally of 45 last reported, after two cases emerged in...