ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court directed the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to secure the records of returned references and submit their details.
A three-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial, and comprising Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah on Tuesday heard the constitutional petition of PTI Chairman Imran Khan against the amendments in the NAO, 1999. The bench also directed the NAB prosecutor to digitise the record.
Khawaja Haris, appearing on behalf of PTI chief argued that references are being returned fast and do not know where they are going. He stated that major cases, including the Rental Power case, were disposed of after the amendments in the NAB law, making third-party financial benefits out of the anti-graft body’s purview.
The chief justice said; “We are still looking for criteria to test the NAB law. NAB will be asked where the returning references are going.”
The NAB prosecutor informed that the committees have been formed in every region. Justice Ijaz remarked that if the references are not sent somewhere, then the matter will end.
The chief justice remarked; “There is a possibility that returned references may be re-filed or go to another court, but every person responsible should be held accountable while the references, records, evidence, information, and documents should all be preserved by compiling a list of everything”.
Makhdoom Ali Khan, representing the federation, said that the NAB is not submitting all the records, but only submitting the decisions of the accountability courts to the Supreme Court. What is being hidden from the court is very important.
Justice Bandial stated that at the end Makhdoom Ali Khan will finally prove that law is there but no punishment. It is being said in newspapers and other circles that there should not be NAB prosecution on some sections, there are also business people in these sections.
Justice Mansoor said how the Court can send any matter to the Parliament and ask it to make law, adding if this happens then tomorrow, some citizens will come and ask the Court to direct the NAB to investigate corruption of Rs10. What type of NAB law should be made? How can the Supreme Court determine this? You say that the NAB law contains malice, how can we make a law for the Parliament?
Haris said that the apex court in the past had asked the Parliament to make law on certain issues. The hearing was adjourned until today (Wednesday).
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022