Supreme Court orders records of NAB cases sent to other forums in last six months

ISLAMABAD, Feb 01 (SABAH): The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Wednesday called for a record of all cases that were closed following amendments in the NAB law.

The order was passed by the apex court as it heard a petition by the accountability watchdog to cancel the bail of an accused in a corruption case. Three-member of the apex court headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Umar Ata Bandial and comprising Mrs. Justice Ayesha A. Malik and Justice Athar Minallah heard the appeal filed by NAB against Muhammad Nabeel, Rubina Saeed Shahwani and others.

During arguments, the bureau stated that Quetta’s corruption case has gone out of NAB jurisdiction; therefore, the application has become ineffective.

Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Umar Ata Bandial then made remarks during the hearing and noted that no individual has been acquitted due to NAB amendments, but cases are being transferred.

The CJP furthered that NAB amendments have been challenged in the SC and that the court has yet to decide on the matter.

“What is NAB doing with the cases that are coming back from accountability courts due to amendments?” CJP inquired.

To this, NAB’s representative replied that a review committee has been set up for the cases returned from the accountability courts, which is sending the cases to the relevant forum.

CJP Bandial then ordered the NAB representative to give the record of the last six months of the cases sent to other forums.

Last year, a report submitted by the graft buster to the SC revealed that the amendments made to the National Accountability Ordinance (NAO) 2000 by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)-led coalition government have ended up benefitting over 90 per cent of cases, including high-profile ones, that NAB was dealing with — whether at the inquiry, investigation or trial stage.

NAB had submitted the report to the apex court pertaining to the details of cases of public office-holders, including political leaders, which will be affected under the new amendments in the NAB law.