Court order: NAB given 7 days to arrest rental power accused

Bureau’s prosecutor general says no need for arrests since all individuals are cooperating.


Our Correspondent April 20, 2012

ISLAMABAD:


The Supreme Court on Thursday rolled out an austere seven-day deadline for the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to arrest the people responsible in the Rental Power Project (RPP) case.


Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry categorically stated: “NAB officials we are giving you seven days and your duty is to arrest the responsible persons and produce charge-sheets (challans) before the accountability courts.”

In reply, NAB Prosecutor General KK Agha told the court that NAB was abiding by the directives of the court by not arresting the accused since they all were cooperating and under the law, one cannot arrest individuals who are cooperating with the rules.

He added that NAB was investigating the issue and it had already asked the State Bank to freeze the accounts of the accused persons. “We also wrote to the interior ministry to put the names of all accused on the Exit Control List, (ECL),” he said.

In response, Chief Justice Chaudhry dictated the apex court’s order which read: “We direct him (the chairman of NAB) to comply with the judgment dated March 30, 2012 in letter and spirit and submit a compliance report as per the schedule fixed in the said judgment to the Registrar of this court for our perusal in the chambers and passing appropriate orders, if need be.”

The Supreme Court had passed the verdict last month that all the RRPs should be dissolved — declaring all of the project contracts “illegal”. The chief justice had ordered legal proceedings against all those involved in the corruption.

During Thursday’s proceedings, the Supreme Court turned down NAB’s rare move to divert the apex court’s attention from the implementation process towards a new proposed policy in the Rental Power Project (RPP) case.

NAB Chairman Fasih Bukhari asked the Supreme Court to direct the government to formulate a new policy under which the existing generators/equipment and machinery could be utilised for production of electricity  by renegotiating terms and conditions with the relevant parties of the deal.

“We fail to understand as to what is the authority of the chairman of the NAB to seek approval of this court for asking the government of Pakistan to formulate a new policy by following flawless and transparent procedures under which the existing generators/equipment and machinery can be utilised for full production of electric capacity,” the court held in its order.

“He (Bukhari) should have realised that this court, by means of comprehensive judgment dated March 30, 2012, had already declared that as far as these projects were concerned, there was no transparency against the relevant law; thus the NAB chairman had no authority to approach this court, seeking assistance on this point. And as such the request so made by him is turned down,” the apex court asserted.

The court also rejected NAB’s progress regarding the implementation of its verdict.

“Fawzi Zafar, the additional prosecutor general of NAB, has submitted a report, which is not satisfactory,” Chief Justice Chaudhry remarked, addressing Chairman Bukhari.

“We will not allow you to sit on our judgments.”

The chief justice went on to say: “Despite the lapse of 20 days, NAB could not initiate action against any accused”.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 20th, 2012.

COMMENTS (1)

butt jee | 11 years ago | Reply

The court should not expect any action from the Admiral as he has already sold his integrity to his mentor, the well known real estate tycoon.

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