NAB slothful performance in pursuing cases irks Supreme Court
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The Supreme Court has raised questions over the performance of the National Accountability Bureau taking the anti-graft body to task for pending hundreds of cases for a decade, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
A three-judge bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Gulzar Ahmad and comprising of Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Qazi Muhammad Amin Ahmad heard a case relating to the illegal occupation of the public welfare plots of Al Habib Cooperative Housing Society at Karachi Registry on Thursday.
Chief Justice of Pakistan Gulzar Ahmad took exception to the performance of the anti-corruption watchdog lamenting it wasn’t making any progress in pursuing cases some of which had been pending for even 10 years.
“It seems that the NAB is conniving with the accused,” the CJP added.
The court asked the bureau chief to submit a report in this regard. It also ordered him to launch an inquiry against investigation officer Ausaf.
Justice Ijazul Ahsan said that the NAB and Federal Investigation Agency were two important pillars of the state. He remarked that it was a total collapse. He lamented that the IO neither had any knowledge nor did he have any interest. Justice Amin remarked that the IO was totally ignorant who got bail and when did the accused get the bail.
The CJP admonished the registrar of the Cooperative Housing Society. He asked him why he didn’t cancel the allotment of plots reserved for parks and mosques.
Justice Ahsan lamented that plots of mosques and schools had been sold out.
CJP Gulzar showed his bewilderment saying what the state was doing. Those who have allotted public spaces illegally, how come they are roaming about quite freely and not jailed, he asked adding that it seemed that the state had become helpless.
The chief justice asked the NAB why it was not arresting the culprits.
The NAB prosecutor replied that four people had got interim bails.
The CJP remarked that the matter of 32 plots had been lingering for a decade but the government did not care.
The registrar of the housing society told the court that cancellation of plots did not come under his domain.
On this, Justice Gulzar inquired then who would do this. He said he wanted to know how the society allotted 32 plots by shelving a park.
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The NAB prosecutor replied that the SBCA was authorized to cancel the plots.
The court directed the authorities to take action against the accused. It also issued show-cause notices to the accused.
The hearing of the case was adjourned till tomorrow.
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Reporter Bilal Ahmad