CJ administers oath to new AGP

ISLAMABAD, Aug 27 (APP): Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry on Saturday administered oath of office to Muhammad Akhtar Buland Rana as Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP).Before administerattion of the oath, Registrar of the Supreme Court Dr Faqir Hussain read out a statement highlighting the official correspondence between the Chief Justice and the President over the appointment of AGP.The Regsitrar said the President had issued a notification on Aug 23 for the appointment of Muhammad Akhtar Buland Rana as Auditor General of Pakistan and the Chief Justice in performance of administrative function under Article 168 (2) of the Constitution is required to administer the oath. The Chief Justice sent a letter to the President based on reports of the ISI, FIA and comments received from the former AGP in response to a notice issued on an anonymous application received in the Human Rights Cell of the Supreme Court, he added. The Registrar read out concluding para of the letter of the CJ’s letter addressed to the President: “It is to be noted that once a person is appointed Auditor General and administered oath of office by the Chief Justice, he enjoys the status of holder of a constitutional office. His removal is only possible by adhering to the procedure prescribed for the removal of judges of the Superior Courts before the Supreme Judicial Council in terms of Article 209 of the Constitution. Being the Chief Justice and Chairman of the Supreme Judicial Council, while discharging my duties and performing my functions, I honestly consider it necessary to bring it into the notice of the competent authority about the credentials of Mr Muhammad Akhtar Buland Rana, which, I believe, perhaps were not in the notice of the office, which processed his case. However, if, on having taken into consideration the above noted facts, the competent authority still desires that he should be administered the oath, I may be informed accordingly.” The Registrar said that in response of the President along with communication from the Prime Minister’s Secretariat, the Chief Justice in discharge of administrative function, without prejudice to anyone and the subject to all just exceptions, would administer the oath. The contents of the letters said that the allegations against Rana were not proved and he was the most appropriate person for the post as a senior officer. Later talking to mediapersons, Auditor General Akhtar Buland Rana said that he was willing to face any legal proceedings while referring to the statement linking the oath to “all just exceptions”. He said that he had already been exonerated of the charge of sexually assault on a colleague. Defending his position, he said that his dual nationality was not an obstruction in becoming the Auditor General.