CJP says NAB has no right to make fun of anyone

Three-member bench hears case on investigation leaks to media

LAHORE : Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar has frowned on the amount of information leaked to the media about people facing National Accountability Bureau (NAB) cases.

A three-member bench headed by CJP was hearing a matter at the Supreme Court Lahore Registry regarding the leaks of information about people being summoned before the accountability watchdog.

Lamenting on the situation, the top court judge said NAB has no right to make fun of anyone and questioned how information about summoning people is leaked to the media even before their appearance before the bureau.

The CJP expressed his displeasure and objected to this practice by some NAB officials.



Justice Umar Ata Bandial and Justice Ijazul Ahsan were other members of the bench.

How the information about summoning is leaked, the CJP asked while addressing NAB Prosecutor General Syed Asghar Haider and further observed that the proceedings of the anti-graft body were privileged in nature and could not be disclosed to media officials.

Such accountability could not be allowed, the CJP remarked.

The CJP said that proof was there that the bureau treated people without evidence. Such treatment by NAB would discourage the foreign investors from investing here, the bench observed.

Are you forcing the foreign investors to leave this country, the CJP asked the NAB prosecutor. Upon which the prosecutor replied that strict internal accountability had been started by the NAB chairman. He said some people from within the institution might be involved in such illegal practices but the overall performance of the institution under the chairmanship of Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal was in accordance with the law.



The CJP observed that there were black sheep in the bureau, making it clear that strict action must be taken if any investigator was found guilty of exchanging information.

He further said the NAB had respect in the courts now.

Summoning someone should be secret, what will happen to the image and respect of a person in society if he is found innocent in the inquiry, the CJP asked, while further adding, “How can a person be declared guilty by NAB before a decision in court.”

The CJP summoned the NAB chairman in chambers along with the prosecutor general on next Monday to further discuss the issue.