The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Thursday directed the authorities concerned to remove the name of Capt (retired) Shujaat Azeem, former special assistant to prime minister on aviation, from the Exit Control List (ECL).
The apex court passed the order while hearing a suo motu case on the reported privatisation and poor financial condition of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA).
While presenting his arguments before the bench led by Chief Justice Saqib Nisar, Azeem’s lawyer maintained that the national flag carrier’s losses had come down by Rs18 billion during his client’s tenure as the aviation advisor. After hearing the arguments, the court ordered that Azeem’s name should be removed from the ECL.
Last month, after viewing a presentation on massive losses incurred by the country’s flagship carrier, the Supreme Court had ordered an inquiry against Azeem and directed authorities to place his name on the ECL.
Published in Daily Times, June 29th 2018.
