ISLAMABAD: Supreme Court Thursday ordered Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to carry out legal action against Federal Minister for Commerce Makhdoom Amin Fahim in the case of ineligible appointment of Chairman National Insurance Corporation Limited (NICL).

A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry heard case of land purchasing in infamous NICL scandal.

“It is not the era of kingdom. Is the government appointing thieves considering its rights”, the judges remarked when the court was informed by the FIA that Makhdoom Amin Fahim have not paid 40 million rupees so far.

Director FIA Moazzam Jah told SC that one billion rupees were recovered, 9 persons were arrested in the case, challan presented to trial court but hearing of case has not started due to unavailability of judges adding that Amin Fahim has not paid 40 million rupees because he has filed a civil case.

Federal Commerce Secretary Zafar Mehmood said the FIA is satisfied with the investigations from Makhdoom Amin Fahim and no further evidences of corruption appeared in NICL forensic audit report. “Don’t pretend yourself such a simple person, Amin Fahim had appointed that person as a Chairman of NICL who was ineligible”, the Chief Justice said to Zafar Mehmood.

The Chief Justice said it was a very massive corruption scam and money is being recovered with the struggles of the court but people still criticize over courts, adding that Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry said that the plundered money belongs to the people of Pakistan and it should be returned to them.

It was further ordered to the Commerce Secretary that a report should be submitted to the court which entails the details of persons responsible for the scam.

The SC expressed annoyance when the court inquired of the Commerce Secretary that why no legal action has been taken against Amin Fahim, but the Commerce Secretary could not answer. Expressing its annoyance the court said if the legal action can be carried out against the Prime Minister for not complying with the court orders then legal proceedings can be carried out against any Minister.

The SC said legal actions will be carried out according to criminal clauses, even if Amin Fahim would return money.

The SC questioned why an illegal summary, signed by Fahim, was forwarded to Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani for approval.

Zafar Mehmood told SC that most shares in NICL belong to the government and it can appoint any person as a head of the corporation. Later the hearing was adjourned for a week.

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