Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Wednesday accepted the plea of National Accountability Bureau (NAB’s) eight incumbent officers to become a party in a suo moto case against illegal appointments within NAB. The apex court also directed NAB prosecutor to submit reply over the alleged illegalities, contraventions and violations in appointment of BPS 20 and above officers in NAB before the next date of hearing.

It is pertinent to mention here that suo moto notice was taken after some of the NAB senior officials including ex-military officers were brought on deputation period of three years, from 1999 to 2002, but later got absorbed in NAB while 27 military officers served NAB being in military service.

A three judge bench headed by chief justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali took up the suo moto case for hearing. However, attorney general for Pakistan did not make an appearance during the course of first hearing. After the eight officers, Transparency International Pakistan intervened and moved an application before the bench requesting it to allow them to place the documents on record for consideration of the court regarding efforts of NAB officials in eradication of corruption.

The application filed by Advocate Hashmat Habib, on behalf of Transparency International, stated that the current setup of NAB has cracked down in a professional manner and filed corruption cases by arresting the public office holders, senior politicians and business tycoons who made money out of corrupt practices. However, Transparency International claimed in its application that the Sindh government and senior hierarchy was creating hurdles against the actions of NAB and trying to introduce new laws against National Accountability Ordinance (NAO) 1999 in order to curtail the power of NAB in Sindh.

The application further stated that Inter Service Intelligence Circle Headquarter Sindh Region Karachi on May 18 revealed that a contact had revealed that NAB officers involved in an investigation of high profile corruption cases in Sindh may be targeted by miscreants.

“Contacts also revealed that NAB officers involved in inquiry of Dr. Asim and land grabbing cases are under extreme pressure and highly vulnerable to target killing,” the application stated. The application also pointed out that DG NAB Major (retd) Tariq Mehmood Malik apprehended senior civil servants and recovered billions of rupees.

During the course of hearing prosecutor general NAB Waqas Qadeer Dar requested the court to allow 2-weeks time for submission of reply. However, the chief justice observed that the top court would not intervene if the appointments in NAB were made in accordance with the law, adding the top court would proceed if it received notice that the appointments were made in sheer violation of rules. Chief Justice further said that NAB was supposed to submit its short reply in the suo moto case in order to decide the case. The apex court while issuing notice to attorney general for Pakistan and officials concerned adjourned the hearing for third week of September.