Annoyed SC gives NAB till 22nd to arrest Tauqir

ISLAMABAD – Expressing displeasure over the inability to arrest former chairman Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra), the Supreme Court on Friday granted NAB and FIA time till 22nd January.A two-member bench comprising Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and Justice Jawwad S Khawaja was hearing the contempt of court case against former chairman Ogra Tauqir Sadiq.The court in its judgment on November 25, 2011 had declared the appointment of Tauqir Sadiq as chairman Ogra illegal ordering NAB to investigate corruption cases against him and submit its findings within 45 days, but neither Tauqir Sadiq could be arrested nor the Bureau made any progress.During the proceedings, Justice Jawwad S Khawaja said when the arrest warrant of Tauqir Sadiq was issued he was present in the NAB office. He said the court would proceed against the NAB officials if the chairman was not arrested.Justice Khawaja said the NAB takes action only a day before the hearing of the case. He said it was reported that former chairman Ogra travelled in a official car from Lahore to Islamabad. The NAB investigation officer had pointed out that to the Motorway police but they did not cooperate.Justice Khawaja said whether the NAB official inquired who provided official car to Tauqir Sadiq. The CJP inquired what steps the NAB had taken to arrest those involved in appointment of Tauqir Sadiq as chairman Ogra. Justice Khawaja remarked that no one had been arrested so far and no references had been filed in the court. He directed the NAB to proceed against those officials, who had appointed Tauqir Sadiq.Deputy Prosecutor General Chaudhry Mazhar informed the court that the record of the case was with another DPG NAB Fozi Zafar and he was admitted in the hospital. The chief justice remarked that the case files are also admitted in the hospital?The NAB lawyer told the apex court that a team had been constituted to arrest Tauqir Sadiq. Justice Khawaja said for the last three days the team was in Dubai but the ex-Ogra chief could not be arrested. The chief justice said the Sindh police, acting on the court orders in Shahzeb murder case, brought the accused from abroad so why they could not produce the accused.Justice Khawaja said whatever was happening with the apex court in corruption cases, no one could say there was rule of law in the country. The NAB could not arrest an accused, who was sitting in his office. He inquired from the NAB how much money had been recovered from the 40 bank accounts of Tauqir Sadiq.The bench observed that it had become court’s responsibility to assist the NAB and Motorway police. The Motorway police neither contacted the NAB IO nor inquired from Senate that who was using its cars.On the request of the NAB the court adjourned the hearing till 22nd January and ordered the Bureau to arrest former chairman Ogra before next hearing.

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