Daily Times

The conduct of officials of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) during investigations has now been questioned multiple times by the top court, raising serious questions over the (lack of) standards or respect for rules in the bureau.

The Supreme Court of Pakistan has censured officials several times over their apparent misbehaviour with personnel under investigations as well as the Bureau’s failure to respect the privacy of those under investigation.

The latest episode took place on Tuesday during the hearing a petition relating to alleged embezzlement of Rs600 billion in the liquefied natural gas (LNG) contract.

Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar admonished the NAB during the hearing, maintaining that it should treat suspects with respect and honour. Without naming the businessman involved in the incident, the CJP said that he had narrated to him the ordeal he underwent at the hands of NAB officials. The businessman was apparently slapped and detained for seven hours. The CJP’s account was also corroborated by the Supreme Court’s Human Rights Cell.

Earlier on August 30, the court had warned the accountability watchdog to respect privacy of those under investigation. The CJP said that no citizen or bureaucrat should be harassed or humiliated.

A meeting was also held between the CJP and NAB chairman Javed Iqbal recently in which the latter was asked to ensure that secrecy of information was maintained till the filing of references against any individual. But no progress has yet made at the Bureau, it seems, to ensure that rules are upheld and standards followed during investigations.

Published in Daily Times, September 13^th 2018.