Lodhi decides to move court against removal
14 January, 2012
ISLAMABAD: Lt General (r) Khalid Naeem Lodhi on Friday said he would move court against his "unjust" removal as the country's defence secretary, a private TV channel reported. Lodhi said he was sacked for not signing a government's affidavit in the memogate case, adding, "How could I sign a statement which was not mine." The former secretary said that Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani did not give any reason for his dismissal. "Neither a show-cause notice was issued nor was there any inquiry." The prime minister dismissed the defence secretary for "gross misconduct and illegal action … and for creating misunderstanding among institutions". "Under the rules of business, the defence secretary did not get the summary in writing or sought confirmation from the minister and bypassed the Ministry of Law and Justice and sent a copy of replies [from the COAS and ISI DG] to the attorney general and sent the reply directly to the Supreme Court's registrar," the prime minister had said in a statement. The government has given additional charge of the Defence Ministry to Cabinet Secretary Nargis Sethi. Lodhi, who had taken over as the defence secretary on November 28 last year, was considered to be a close confidant of COAS Gen Kayani. End.
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