SC accepts NAB apology over handcuffed academics

CJP expresses dissatisfaction over NAB’s performances; says it has just been insulting people

LAHORE: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar has accepted a written apology from the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Director General, Saleem Shehzad, who presented senior academics handcuffed and chained before an accountability court in connection with a graft case.

Photos and video footages showing Punjab University’s former vice chancellor Prof Dr Mujahid Kamran and other senior professors being presented before Lahore’s accountability courts in handcuffs sparked a public outrage on social media with calls for holding NAB officials accountable.

CJP Nisar also took notice of the incident and summoned DG Saleem Shehzad, who on Saturday appeared at the Supreme Court Lahore Registry to offer an apology. Commenting on the incident, the CJP said, “It is like death for a professor if he is handcuffed as the impression cannot be undone for the rest of his life.”



The DG told the court that the former VC had been handcuffed for security reasons.

“Let’s examine the law… and those who violated the law will go to jail in handcuffs just the way they handcuffed the professors,” Justice Nisar said.

The remarks brought visible tears to the eyes of the NAB official.

“Now there are tears in your eyes when your turn to go to jail in handcuffs comes,” said the CJP.

The DG replied there was no bad intention behind handcuffing the professors.

“What do you mean there was no bad intention… you handcuffed respected professors,” the CJP retorted. “I have come to know that you have said outside the court that the case is not a big deal as I will retire after three months,” he added.

The CJP said he had also telephoned the NAB chairman at night and asked him why the professors were presented before a court in handcuffs. “However, the NAB chairman was not aware of the incident and said the DG would satisfy me,” he said.

The NAB official said he was ashamed for what had been done. “You would have to submit a written apology, seeking forgiveness from the nation and the professors,” the CJP said.

Later the NAB DG submitted his written apology before the court.

Earlier, the CJP also snubbed NAB’s deputy prosecutor when he contended that there was a law and order situation and that NAB is working a lot against corruption. “What you have done? What is your performance? You just humiliate people and did not resolve even a single case,” the CJP said.

During the proceedings, the Punjab advocate general contended that the incident was regrettable as those people should be respected who had spent their entire lives for the cause of education. “I cannot tolerate insult of teachers at any cost,” the chief justice said.

The police also informed the court that they had complied with the NAB orders when they presented the professors in handcuffs as the operational command was in the accountability authority’s hands.