ISLAMABAD: The Islam­abad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday suspended the notification of withholding pension of Bashir Memon, a former chief of the Federal Investigation Age­ncy (FIA).

Chief Justice Athar Minallah sought a report from the Accountant General of Pakistan Revenues (AGPR) on the pension matter involving Mr Memon within 10 days.

The court was hearing the petition filed by Mr Memon seeking restoration of his pension and post-retirement benefits.

The deputy attorney general requested the court for a four-week adjournment to submit the reply, but Justice Minallah remarked that the court did not need reply as the pension could not be stopped.

“Under which law have you suspended the pension?” the chief justice asked.

“The pension has been suspended under Civil Service Regulations (CSR) 420 (i),” an officer of the AGPR Office replied, adding that since Mr Memon had resigned, the office had raised the objection over his pension and post-retirement benefits.

The pension could not be stopped under that law, the chief justice replied.

Further hearing of the case was adjourned for 10 days.

Published in Dawn, September 17th, 2020