Supreme Court on Wednesday granted bail to former food minister Balochistan Asfandyar Kakar who was arrested by National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for misappropriation of Rs 292 million during his tenure as minister in 2012.
Accepting post-arrest bail application of Kakar against surety bonds of Rs 5 million, a three-member bench led by Justice Dost Muhammad Khan, reprimanded the bureau officials' lackluster performance who apparently failed to fix responsibility of the misappropriation in the matter. Asfandyar Kakar was elected as an MPA on the ticket of Pakistan Peoples' Party (PPP) from Balochistan and was given portfolio of the Food Ministry by former chief minister Nawab Aslam Raisani. During his tenure being a food minister, Kakar had allegedly sold out 250,000 wheat sacks in 2012 from government warehouses located in Balochistan's Pishin district.
During the course of proceedings, Justice Dost Muhammad Khan observed that NAB performance was in question as it used to create unnecessary delays while probing cases of important nature. Expressing concern over poor performance of Director General NAB, Balochistan Irfan Mangi, the bench remarked that the court intended to pass order against Mangi but showing restrain as the five-member bench in the Panama Papers case has lauded joint investigation team members performance as Mangi was one of the team members.
Justice Dost Muhammad Khan, while hearing the bail pleas of Asfandyar Kakar and Wali Kakar in illegal transfer of wheat from one district to other, said due to their brother judges' verdict in Panama Papers case they are not passing any order against Mangi.
A member of the bench Justice Qazi Faez Isa categorically commented over performance of Mangi, saying the NAB had become facilitator of corrupt elements, and observed why not Naeem Mangi be arrested as accused in the current matter.
Justice Qazi Faez Isa further observed that apparently it seems that without registering criminal cases against the NAB officials for their lackluster performance, there would be no improvement in the bureau's performance, saying many cases in Balochistan are still pending.
Justice Qazi Faiz Isa was of the view that a trial according to National Accountability Ordinance 1999 should be completed in 30 days, but nothing has been done in 30 months by NAB officials.
Justice Dost Muhammad Khan observed that NAB officials were getting salaries from the national kitty, saying exchequer was given dent of Rs 771 million but surprisingly the NAB failed to complete trials in 30 days. After hearing the matter, the bench granted bail to Asfandyar Kakar and dismissed a bail plea of Director Food Balochistan Abdul Wali Kakar.