Broadsheet Scandal: Ex Supreme Court Judge Appointed head of inquiry committee

The committee will complete its investigation within 45 days

Former Supreme Court judge Justice (retired) Azmat Saeed Sheikh has been appointed the head of the inquiry committee that will investigate the matter of Broadsheet LLC, Information Minister Shibli Faraz said Thursday.

Faraz shared the news on Twitter. The inquiry committee will complete its investigation within 45 days, the minister earlier told the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Information.

UK-based firm Broadsheet LLC was hired in 2000 by General Pervez Musharraf’s government to recover assets stolen by the past Pakistani governments. The contract expired in 2003 and the firm alleged it was not paid. It sued Pakistan in the London Court of International Arbitration in 2016 and won an award of $21 million in 2019.

Islamabad appealed the decision in the London High Court and the award was increased to $33 million. UK authorities recently seized $28.7 million from the Pakistan High Commission’s account and the rest remains payable.

Justice (retired) Sheikh had been working as the deputy prosecutor general of the National Accountability Bureau when the anti-corruption watchdog signed an agreement with Broadsheet LLC, according to information on the Supreme Court of Pakistan’s website.