Punjab govt decides to shut down unnecessary companies opened during previous tenures
ISLAMABAD: Advocate General Punjab Sardar Ahmed Jamal Sukhera on Monday informed the Supreme Court that the provincial government has decided to shutdown unnecessary companies opened during previous tenures.
A three-member bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed and comprised of Justice Ijaz Ul Ahsan and Justice Sajjad Ali Shah heard the case filed by NAB on irregularities in these 56 companies.
During the course of proceedings, Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed asked why they were not shutting down all 56 companies.
He said the Punjab government was starting to operate like the East India Company and inquired whether the government implements its own laws through these companies.
He said the Punjab government had been granted enough time to shut down the companies and it was time to solve the problem.
The companies were not able to deliver, he said adding the government must do its own work.
He said some people had not returned their salaries and bonuses despite the court order.
The NAB prosecutor-general said a reference would be filed against those people.
He said the bureau had recovered Rs1 billion in Punjab 56 companies mega scandal.
The advocate-general said the Punjab chief minister had set up a steering committee. The public was benefiting from 37 of these companies, he said adding there were some legal questions which the steering committee would cooperate with the court.
Justice Ijazul Ahsan said the Punjab government must first look at the NAB report and submit a reply.
The hearing was adjourned for one month. - APP