Sindh High Court (SHC) on Wednesday showed dissatisfaction over performance of National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Karachi after the investigation officer of an embezzlement case didn't appear in the hearings despite the court orders.
Interestingly, Director General (DG) NAB Sindh appeared in the proceedings, who was summoned by the court, but the investigation officer of pertaining to misappropriation of public funds failed to appear. The division bench headed by Chief Justice SHC Ahmed Ali M. Sheikh remarked that performance of NAB Karachi is not up to the mark and if the situation remained the same, the court could summon Chairman NAB to appear.
The bench directed the DG NAB Sindh to ensure the appearance of investigation officers in the cases related to corruption and ordered that NAB should take the action against those it has the concrete evidences. "Even if it has no evidences, it has no right to drag the people," the bench observed.
On the non-appearance of NAB's investigation officer in the case of Ghulam Shabir, who has been charged with embezzlement of funds, the bench head said that state of affairs in NAB can be gauged from the fact that DG NAB is present in court room, but the investigation officer concerned is absent.
"Why not the Chairman NAB should be issued to appear," the CJP SHC addressing DG NAB while expressing displeasure over absence of investigation officer and remarked that this attitude is causing delay in the completion of inquiries.
The DG NAB Sindh assured the court that he would take the action against the investigation officer, at which the court remarked that he would forget once he reached in the office.
Justice Sheikh said that why not court issue the orders that DG NAB Sindh should appear in every case related to NAB, at which the DG extended his apology with the assurance that investigation officers would appear in the cases. Putting off the hearing of the case till Thursday, the court directed the investigation officer to appear in the next hearing.
Meanwhile, the SHC's bench issued the notices to federal government and Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in a petition related to appointment of judges as members of ECP immediately after their retirement. Former Chief Justice of SHC Justice Wajihuddin challenged the appointment of three members of ECP in 2016, who were judges in the higher judiciary and one government employee before completing the two-year time after retirement. The court directed the parties concerned to submit the replies by February 20, 2019.
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