NAB’s failure to submit probe rules irks court
PHOTO: FILE
A two-member bench of the Sindh High Court, comprising Justice Muhammad Iqbal Kalhoro and Justice Shamsuddin Abbasi, directed the National Accountability Bureau on Wednesday to submit before the court its investigation rules.
The court was hearing a plea seeking the formulation of rules defining the procedure for inquiries and investigations of the national anti-graft watchdog.
The petitioner, advocate Tariq Mansoor, contended in the plea that NAB had been functioning without rules for years now. He maintained that it is compulsory for the bureau to have rules for its inquiries under section 34 of the National Accountability Bureau Ordinance.
Read: Graft cases adjourned due to lawyers’ strike
The court expressed annoyance at the NAB officials for not presenting the rules before the bench.
Following this, the NAB prosecutor stated that the rules had been formulated and approval from the President of Pakistan was pending.
The petitioner countered that the formulation of rules was being delayed on purpose.
The court directed the NAB officials to present the rules on the next hearing.
Bail pleas
Meanwhile, another bench, headed by SHC Chief Justice Ahmed Ali Shaikh and comprising Justice Umar Sial, issued notices to the Sindh prosecutor-general and others over the bail pleas of Opposition Leader in Sindh Assembly Haleem Adil Sheikh and others accused in cases pertaining to vandalism and interference in discharge of official affairs during the Malir's PS-88 by-polls.
The defence lawyers contended that the cases against Haleem, Muhammad Ramzan and others are false. They argued that the cases against their clients were lodged to exact political revenge.
The counsels moved the court to accept the bail pleas of the accused.
The bench issued notices to the Sindh prosecutor-general and other parties, seeking their replies by March 16.
Missing persons
Separately, a two-member bench, comprising Justice Naimatullah Phulpoto and Justice Abdul Mobin Lakho, summoned the investigation SP in personal capacity over a petition seeking the recovery of a missing person, Saqib.
Saqib's wife informed the court that her husband had been missing for six years but there was no progress in the investigations thus far.
Also read: NICVD graft inquiry will be completed, SHC told
Irked at the authorities for their failure to recover Saqib, the bench summoned the Investigation SP in personal capacity at the next hearing on April 13.
Hearing another plea pertaining to the disappearance of another citizen, Gulbahar, the bench issued noticed to the home department, the Sindh IGP and other parties.
The petitioner's counsel maintained that Gulbahar was detained by personnel of law enforcement agencies on March 1, 2021, from Gulshan-e-Maymar.
The court issued notices to the parties, seeking their replies.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 11th, 2021.