ISLAMABAD: In light of a Supreme Court judgment that struck down amendments made to the accountability law, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), on Thursday, submitted the record of corruption cases to the Accountability Court.

The Accountability Court Judge, Muhammad Bashir, directed the registrar of the court to review the cases’ records and present them before him.

NAB Deputy Prosecutor General Sardar Muzzafar Abbasi appeared before the court and the court directed him to review the legal aspects of the cases as the nature of cases against private individuals, public office holders, and government employees is different.

The judge told the prosecutor that you have to tell which case can be heard and which does not fall under the jurisdiction.

Abbasi assured the court that the NAB would ensure the implementation of the apex court’s order and submit all relevant records to the court.

Sources said that the NAB’s Investigation Officers (IO) also hold meetings with the Accountability Court registrar. During the meeting, the IO of different cases and the registrar discussed the legal aspects of the different cases, they said, adding that after a detailed review of the record, the record of different cases would be forwarded to the accountability courts.

The NAB, on September 20, filed an application before the Accountability Court, seeking of reopening of corruption cases which was sent back by the same court to the NAB and other relevant forums after amendment in the NAB law by Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) government.

The NAB also wrote letters to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), anti-corruption departments in all provinces, banking courts, and the police to return all cases to the watchdog which were referred to these departments, following the new amendments that barred the NAB from taking up cases involving less than Rs500 million.

The major cases that will be reopened include fake accounts cases against former president Asif Ali Zardari, his sister Faryal Talpur and others, Toshakhana case against former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani and Zardari, Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) reference against former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, former finance minister Miftah Ismail, and others, an asset beyond means case against former finance minister Ishaq Dar, Sindh Nooriabad Power Companies (SNPC-I and SNPC-II) reference against former Chief Minister Sindh Murad Ali Shah, Kidney Hills corruption case against Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Senator Saleem Mandviwalla, Rental Power Plant (RPP) case against former Prime Minister Raja Parvez Ashraf, Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) case against Farzana Raja, LokVirsa corruption reference, PPP Senator Rubina Khalid and others.

The court summoned Raja Parvez Ashraf in RPP case, Rubina Khalid in Lok Virsa corruption case, and sought arguments in the BISP case against Farzana Raja.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023