It is difficult being honest in Pakistan. Tariq Khosa was the most deligent and brutally honest civil servant that would not take no for an answer. He was incorruptible and indefatigable–’till he was fired by Prime Minsiter Yusuf Gilani. Will the Supreme Court restore him back and will Chief Justice Iftikhar snub the Prime Minister who seems to have lost his senses in the past couple of days.

ISLAMABAD: Following hectic marathon meetings at the Presidency during the past 48 hours, top PPP leadership has decided to assert and protect the authority of the executive.

In the first visible manifestation of this stance, Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani not only removed Interior Secretary Chaudhry Qamar Zaman for stopping the defence minister from proceeding abroad on an official tour, he also issued a long charge-sheet to the suspended interior secretary, accusing him of “acting against state interests by placing the name of defence minister Ahmed Mukhtar on the Exit Control List (ECL)”.

Likewise, to assert his constitutional position as the chief executive of the country, Primer Minister Gilani is said to have bluntly refused to reappoint Tariq Khosa as DG FIA on the grounds that only he (PM) had the powers to appoint or remove any government servant.

The sources said, decisions taken by Gilani might bring the PPP government in a confrontational stance with the Supreme Court but it is clear that the prime minister and the president are on the same page vis a vis dealing with the Supreme Court.

The sources said, a furious Gilani in a show cause notice issued to the suspended interior secretary has said “you acted against the state interest by stopping the defence minister from proceeding to China where he was going to accept the first consignment of frigates, which were important for the security and defence of Pakistan and this activity on your part warrants severe punishment.”

The prime minister was said to be so furious that he sacked the interior secretary without even informing Interior Minister Rehman Malik who in fact came to know about this development through the media.

Prime Minister Gilani has now asked the concerned authorities to proceed against the federal secretary under Removal from Services Act after the government reached the conclusion that he had acted on his own.

A top-level source has confirmed to The News that a firm decision had been taken in several meetings at the Presidency and Prime Minister House during the last two days that from onward, the PPP government would not be seen as “weak” government which was being dictated by other organs of the state and most importantly which could not protect its authority.

Top-level inside sources confirmed that Prime Minister Gilani, otherwise known for his cool temperament, was in a furious mood after his defence minister proceeding to China was humiliated by the Interior Ministry officials.

Giving inside details of these crucial meetings and decision, sources said, Gilani had decided that he would not accept the interference of certain state organs in the functioning of his government.

The sources said the prime minister also decided to get tough after some of ministers from Sindh were found furious and upset over the humiliating treatment meted out to Ahmed Mukhtar. These ministers told the concerned functionaries that it was better for the PPP to quit the government and sit in the opposition as “enough is enough”.

Earlier, inside sources said, Gilani was told that before proceeding to China, as a precautionary measure, Defence Minister Ahmed Mukhtar was said to have made a telephone call to the interior secretary on Thursday and informed him about his intention to proceed to China. The interior secretary was said to have given him an OK report and said his name was not on the ECL so he could proceed to China. After half an hour, the interior secretary made a call to the defence minister that he should not go to Benazir Bhutto Airport as not only his name was on the ECL but media too had reached there. Upon this, a furious minister wondered that how could the media come to know about his visit to China, as he was the man who knew about his plans.

After coming to know about these facts, Prime Minister Gilani immediately ordered DG FIA Mr Zafarullah Khan to submit him an inquiry report of the incident by Friday evening. The DG FIA in his findings informed the prime minister that NAB did not issue anything in writing to place the name of Ahmed Mukhtar on the ECL and the interior secretary had misled the minister. The sources said as the news spread that Gilani was about to dismiss Chaudhry Qamar Zaman, a lot of personal friends of the interior secretary made several calls to meet the prime minister to stop him from taking this drastic action. But, a firm Gilani refused to meet or take their telephone calls in a bid to punish the interior secretary. He took Law Minister Dr Babar Awan with him and went to attend an inter-faith conference at a local hotel. Before leaving his office, Gilani got a show cause notice issued. According to this show cause notice, the interior secretary has been told in following words “Mr Secretary, you have issued instructions to put the name of Defence Minister Ahmed Mukhtar while he was proceedings to China in order to receive the first consignment of frigates ships which are very important for the defence of Pakistan. By stopping the defence minister at the airport, you have actually drawn the attention of the world towards this issue of frigates being sold to Pakistan which are strategically important for this country. You acted against the state and it warrants severe punishment. Therefore, you are given seven days notice to explain your position that why you should not be proceeded under the law for removal from services, which entails maximum penalty”.

The sources said that investigations were also underway whether there was any conspiracy hatched to damage the relationship between China and Pakistan. The sources said, Gilani was also informed that so far neither the Supreme Court had issued any order to re appointment Tariq Khosa as DG FIA. The prime minister was said to have decided not to send him back to FIA as he was already promoted as the federal secretary. A federal secretary could not be placed under interior secretary as it is against the norms of civil service. PM ready to take on SC, if he must Saturday, December 19, 2009. May not appoint Khosa as FIA DG; charges interior secretary with acting against interest of state Rauf Klasra