Daily Times

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday sought arguments from the respondents on maintainability of the petition filed by DG NAB Lahore Shehzad Saleem challenging the summon notice of PAC in Tayyaba Gul harassment matter. The court also extended its order till next date for stopping the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) from taking any disciplinary action against director general NAB Lahore. The bench also summoned notices to secretary national assembly and PAC in petition of Acting Chairman NAB challenging the powers of the NA body. Acting Chief Justice Aamer Farooq heard the petitions of acting chairman NAB and DG NAB Lahore regarding the aforesaid matter. At the outset of hearing, the court remarked that there was no problem if the PAC summoned the petitioner in matter pertaining to the accounts. The question was that whether the PAC was authorized to hear such matter other than the accounts, he asked. Deputy Attorney General Arshad Kayani said that the PAC could hear any complaint regarding the public interest. The court remarked that that the PAC could hear the only the finance matters in public domain, adding that every institution whether it was parliament or judiciary had own respect. The deputy attorney general requested the court to grant permission to present the minutes of last PAC meeting. He requested the court to view the answers submitted by the petitioners to PAC. DG NAB’s counsel adopted the stance that his client had no hesitation to appear before the PAC. The court had stated that the NAB could be summoned only in the matter related to finance, he said. The court sought arguments from the respondents and adjourned hearing till August 11.