By Raza Ruman
Islamabad (Pak Destiny) Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s daughter Maryam Nawaz has resigned from the post of chairperson of the multi-billion Prime Minister Youth Loan Programme as she had no other option but to go home after the Lahore Court’s strong observation.
The Lahore High Court had instructed the federal government yesterday to replace Maryam as she has “no experience to the head Rs 100 billion programme”. The government advisers had suggested to Mian sahib to take her daughter’s resignation as she may face embarrassment in the LHC on next hearing. Finding no way out she was asked to resign.
Maryam controlled the fund for giving soft business loans to the youth announced by Prime Minister Sharif.
“I had no pressure to resign. An able person should be appointed new chairperson of the Youth Loan Programme,” Maryam said in a statement after tendering resignation.
She said she had not done anything in violation of merit in the disbursement of the funds. She also made an arrogant comment saying “If I did not step down who could force her”.
Petitioner, Zubair Niazi, a local leader of Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, argued in the court that the appointment of Maryam was a case of “sheer nepotism.”
He said the appointment had been made in violation of law and several judgments passed by the Supreme Court.
He said neither a public notice nor an advertisement was issued before the appointment.
LHC Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah said the court was showing grace by giving a chance to the government to change the chairperson in a lawful and transparent manner.
During the hearing, deputy attorney general Amir Rehman presented academic credentials of Maryam, but withdrew them after failing to answer a query whether the Ph.D. Degree was actual or honorary.
What will she do after losing the all important job could be any body’s guess. Pak Destiny