NAB submits report in Asad Munir matter

CJP Khosa had taken notice of Munir's suicide note accusing NAB of harassment

ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau on Thursday submitted an inquiry report to the Supreme Court (SC) on Brigadier (retd) Asad Munir's suicide.

Munir passed away on March 15 and left behind a note lamenting disrespectful treatment meted out by NAB. He urged the top judge to take notice of the anti-graft watchdog officials’ conduct “so that other government officials are not convicted for the crimes they had not committed”.

Chief Jusitce of Pakistan Asif Saeed Khosa had taken notice of the suicide note left behind by the former officer and sought a reply from NAB Chairman Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal.

The matter was probed by a three-member committee chaired by Iqbal and comprising NAB Director-General Brigadier (retd) Adeel and NAB Prosecutor General Asghar Haider.

According to the report, Munir’s name appeared in inquiries related to a Capital Development Authority (CDA) matter. He appeared before the anti-graft watchgod five times – thrice as a witness and twice as an accused.

The committee reviewed a video of Munir’s NAB interviews.



The letter to the CJP

“With one exception, all other investigating officers in my case were incompetent, rude, arrogant, untrained; knew little about the working of the department they were investigating,” wrote Munir in a letter addressed to the chief justice.

“A reference has been filed by the NAB against me in a case of restoration of a plot back in 2008. I did not restore the plot, it was restored by the chairman; I had recommended the restoration as I was convinced that it was as per the Capital Development Authority Restoration Policy 2007.”

The retired army officer said the case against him was based on audit paragraphs.

Munir said his name was placed on the Exit Control List for three months in November 2017 by the interior ministry citing an FIR in which he was not even nominated. He said he had filed a review appeal addressed to the interior secretary but received no response. “My name still remains on the ECL after more than a year.”

“I am giving my life in the hope that you, the honorable chief justice, will bring positive changes in the system where incompetent people are playing with the life and honour of citizen in the name of accountability.”