Don’t defame judges, Nisar warns NAB

ISLAMABAD: Visibly upset over the performance of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in the recent past, Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar has said the anticorruption watchdog is creating lacunae in cases as a result of which the courts are being blamed for acquittal of accused persons.

“Don’t defame judges. Judges are not sitting here to clean the dirt of NAB which is busy but doing nothing,” he told NAB Additional Prosecutor General (APG) Akbar Tarar.

The chief justice, who was hearing a suo motu matter related to increase in oil prices and ‘illegal’ hiring in the Pakistan State Oil (PSO), also made it clear that the top court would not tolerate if NAB left lacunar in corruption cases.

“Now the investigation oficers (IOS) will not be spared if they create lapses in investigations ultimately favouring the accused persons. The IOS do not work as hard as needed in probe into cases of white-collar crimes,” he added.

Justice Nisar wondered what the point was of NAB summoning people in this scenario. He asked the APG to cite a single case, which reached its logical conclusion in the last seven months. He also ordered the APG to inform the NAB chairman and the prosecutor general to brief on NAB’S performance in his chamber.

The top judge noted that NAB arrested two senior oficials — Ahad Cheema and Fawad Hassan Fawad — but nothing had been done further. He stressed the need for changing NAB structure and appointing upright persons in NAB courts.

“Those who were affected by Justice Amir Hani Muslim’s verdict are still working in NAB. Likewise the performance of the DG NAB Karachi is questionable.”

The Sharif family recently got relief from the Islamabad High Court as their July 6 conviction by an accountability court in Avenield reference was suspended. Legal experts blame NAB for poor investigation and prosecution in this matter.

The NAB did not ile an appeal against the acquittal of former premier Nawaz Sharif on charges of corruption in the same reference. Some lawyers say there was a need to add that offence to the reference when there was no evidence of corruption against him.