ISLAMABAD - The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Tuesday directed the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to file a written response regarding mandate of Section 17-D of NAB Ordinance 1999.
A three-member bench of the apex court comprising Justice Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Sajjad Ali Shah and Justice Muneeb Akhtar conducted hearing of the case regarding registration of more than one NAB reference against the same accused. An accused Arshad Khan who is facing a reference filed by the country’s top anti-graft body, had filed the petition. Justice Bandial noted that late Justice Waqar Ahmed Seth verdict on Section 17-D is important. He said that assistance is required on the points raised by the petitioner. The NAB was asked to submit the report in two weeks and share the report with the petitioners.
Advocate Tariq Mehmood, the lawyer for the petitioner, told the court that the maximum imprisonment sentence under the accountability law was 14 years. He asked as to whether a suspect would face 14 years’ imprisonment in each case if he was sentenced in five references. “It is an injustice with accused if this is the case,” he added.
Giving the reference of convicted former premier Nawaz Sharif’s case, he said that the apex court at that time had ordered NAB to file three references. “Section 17-D of the National Accountability Ordinance should be interpreted.”
On the last hearing, the apex court had ordered to club all the identical cases and appeals regarding the matter. Then, the bench deferred the proceedings for 15 days in this matter.