ISLAMABAD - National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has been directed to submit a detailed report on the outcome of inquiry pending against National Logistic Cell ex-army officials since 2012 in Rs4 billion scam of unauthorized investment in stock exchange.
A two-member bench of Supreme Court hearing 150 mega corruption cases on Wednesday rejected NAB Additional Prosecutor General (APG) Akbar Tarar’s request to conduct hearing in chamber. The members of the bench included Justice Jawwad S Khawaja and Justice Dost Muhammad Khan.
Akbar Tarar informed that former Prosecutor General NAB K K Agha had visited the JAG branch for getting outcome of the inquiry pending since 2012 against the ex-army officials of NLC but no cooperation was extended to him.
Upon that Justice Dost observed that some organizations have exemption of not sharing information but NLC does not fall in it, therefore, NAB should freeze its account if it was not cooperating. “Look into your law and the powers you have, arrest the people and put their names on Exit Control List (ECL),” the judge asked the APG.
When one of the petitioners, Asad Kharal, submitted as to whether this particular case would reach its logical conclusion, Justice Jawad S Khwaja said the court would fulfil its obligation and leave the matter to Allah, adding; “If Allah permits, it would definitely reach its logical conclusion.”
During the proceedings, Director General (Operations) Syed Khalid Iqbal submitting a list of financial irregularities, informed that the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) launched complaint against Lt-Gen (retd) Khalid Munir Khan, ex-OIC NLC, Lt Gen (retd) Muhammad Afzal Muzaffar, ex-OIC NLC, Najeebullah Khan, ex-DF & A NLC and Saeedur Rehman, ex-CFO NLC regarding unauthorized investment of Rs4 billion in stock exchange.
The NAB in its additional list of 29 mega corruption cases informed the court that despite repeated reminders since January 2012 NLC and GHQ were not providing record of Rs4 billion scam of unauthorized investment in stock exchange.
Expressing dissatisfaction over the additional list, Justice Jawwad asked the APG as to why these 29 cases were not submitted before the court with 150 mega corruption cases.
Akbar Tarar informed that they could not mention these 29 scams in the initial report, as they did not receive details of it from regional headquarters. He told that they took action against Regional Director Generals for not sending these reports of 29 scams earlier, adding the notices have been served to the relevant DG, and sought explanation from them.
Justice Jawwad observed that the NAB is bent upon pick and choose approach as appeared from the report. “The whole nation is looking towards anti-graft body to fulfil its obligation and eradicate corruption from society.” The judge asked Additional Attorney General Aamir Rehman as to whether the federal government was aware of NAB’s pick and choose policy and giving relief to its blue-eyed persons.
The AAG submitted that NAB does not directly report to the federal government. However, Justice Jawwad said that NAB was a subordinate organization of federal government as its chairman was appointed by the prime minister with the consultation of leader of opposition in the National Assembly.
He further said that eradication of corruption should be the first priority of the government adding that after appointing chairman NAB, how the prime minister could remain unaware as to what was going on in the NAB. “If Parliament can make amendments in the constitution then why not in the National Accountability Ordinance,” Justice Khawaja remarked.
The hearing is adjourned till August 10.