MUZAFFARABAD: The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) High Court has admitted for regular hearing a petition seeking orders for a forensic and performance audit of the AJK Council secretariat, based in the federal capital.

The petition was filed by Uzair Razzaq, a BS-17 officer with the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board, currently serving on deputation as Section Officer (General & Law) in the AJK Council secretariat, through his counsel, Syed Zulqarnain Raza Naqvi.

On June 28, Mr Razzaq had raised formal objections to his transfer by the joint secretary (JS) of the AJK Council secretariat, contending that following the 13th Constitutional Amendment and subsequent amendments to the AJK Rules of Business, 1985, the Council secretariat was reduced to an attached or subordinate body of the AJK Department of Law, Justice, Parliamentary Affairs, and Human Rights, and since the incumbent JS was not appointed by the AJK government, he lacked the authority to issue transfer or posting orders.

In a departmental meeting held on July 1, Mr Razzaq had also proposed a forensic and performance audit of the AJK Council secretariat from 2006 onward, a suggestion recorded in the official minutes of the meeting—a copy of which is available with Dawn.

However, the following day, Mr Razzaq was repatriated to his parent department, and a charge sheet was issued against him, which he claims was never formally served. Subsequently, on July 6, Mr Razzaq filed a writ of quo warranto in the AJK High Court, challenging the appointments of the in-charge federal secretary and joint secretary of the AJK Council by the Establishment Division.

In response, the Council secretariat authorities referred a corruption case against him to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).

In his latest petition, Mr Razzaq challenged the charge sheet and all related proceedings, requesting the High Court to direct the AJK government to establish a committee to conduct a thorough forensic and performance audit of the Council secretariat from 2006 to the present, in line with financial control and budgeting protocols.

Advocate Naqvi argued that the actions taken against Mr Razzaq were improper, as the senior officials in the Council secretariat lacked the authority to repatriate him or issue a charge sheet, given the specific disciplinary procedures outlined in the AJK’s Efficiency and Discipline Rules.

He further alleged that the actions were arbitrary and malicious, as Mr Razzaq currently served as an officer under the AJK government.

After admitting the petition, Justice Khalid Rasheed ordered that notices be served to the respondents, requiring their response by or before December 6. Granting interim relief to Mr Razzaq, he ruled that status quo shall be maintained until the next date of hearing.

Published in Dawn, November 8th, 2024