IHC disposes of Durrani’ s pre-arrest bail petition

NAB tells court accountability watchdog has not issued former minister’s arrest warrants

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday disposed of a pre-arrest bail plea of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) leader Akram Khan Durrani after the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) told the bench that the anti-graft body has not issued arrest warrants for the accused so far.

Heading a division bench also comprising Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb, the IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah said the court has noted that the NAB extends its powers mostly for plea bargain. “After a court disposed of pre-arrest bail pleas, the bureau issues arrest warrants and nabs people,” he said.

He said NAB should first issue summonses to people for investigation before arresting them and it could only arrest them if it found solid proof against the accused. The CJ directed NAB to strengthen its prosecution “An accused’s name could be placed on the exit control list (ECL) if there was a chance of his fleeing abroad,” he added.

NAB prosecutor informed the bench that three inquiries were under way against Durrani – also a former federal minister – but NAB had not issued any arrest warrants for him so far.

He said NAB had issued arrest warrants only for Durrani’s personal assistant Rehmatullah as he was not cooperating with NAB in its investigation into a case of illegal recruitments. The prosecutor said NAB only arrests the accused when it finds evidence against them.

The chief justice asked NAB official to tell the court clearly whether NAB was going to arrest the petitioner or not. The prosecutor said no arrest warrants had been issued for Durrani so far.  The court later disposed of the petition.

WITH ADDITIONAL INPUT FROM APP