AG nominates Sultan Aftab as probe head in BoP case

The AG submitted an application for the appointment of Sultan Aftab as an inquiry officer in the BoP scam case.

The attorney general submitted an application for the appointment of Sultan Aftab as an inquiry officer in the Bank of Punjab (BoP) scam case on Friday.

A three-judge bench comprising Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, Justice Ghulam Rabbani and Justice Khalilur Rehman Ramday heard the case.

The chief justice expressed dissatisfaction over the government’s notification for appointment of investigation officer in Bank of Punjab scandal. This notification designates Lahore DIG Aftab Sultan of assisting the NAB chairman in the investigation of the scam. The court had earlier nominated former DG FIA Tariq Khosa as the head of investigation.

BoP Counsel Khawaja Haris has objected to the working of NAB deputy  chairman as the acting chairman of NAB. Khawaja Haris argued that deputy chairman can only act as NAB chairman when the seat is not vacant but since now the chairman NAB has resigned, therefore  the working of NAB deputy prosecutor general as acting chairman is illegal.

Khawaja Haris also said that Irfan Tariq could not have been appointed as NAB prosecutor general again.

The Supreme Court has issued notices to law ministry, NAB prosecutor general and deputy chairman NAB for July 6 on the working of NAB deputy chairman as acting chairman.

The AG produced an amended notification on the investigation officer for the BoP scam.

The hearing was adjourned till July 5.