Rental power projects case: Will hear case even if sky falls down, says CJ
NAB to present progress report in arresting PM Ashraf today.
The apex court issued a written order on Tuesday for the arrest of Premier Ashraf, along with 15 other accused over the allegations. PHOTO: AFP/FILE
ISLAMABAD:
The Supreme Court on Thursday (today) will hear from the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) the progress made for the arrest of Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf over corruption allegations in the rental power projects (RPP) case.
Addressing the former president of the Supreme Court Bar Association, Yasin Azad – who appeared before the court in a human rights case – Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry on Wednesday said that “dhols” were beating outside the court to force it into not hearing the RPPs case. But, the chief justice said, that he will hear the case “even if the sky falls down.”
The apex court issued a written order on Tuesday for the arrest of Premier Ashraf, along with 15 other accused over the allegations. The deadline to arrest them expired on Wednesday and NAB is supposed to submit a final report in this regard to the apex court today.
The case also took a new turn when Chief Justice Chaudhry, heading a three-judge bench, took notice of some remarks by federal ministers over the apex court’s written order for PM Ashraf’s arrest.
He also criticised the ministers for giving their opinions on the case without knowing the details.
Advocate Salman Akram Raja argued that the Supreme Court had conducted lengthy hearings into the RPPs case and NAB had limited options to not prosecute the accused, including Premier Ashraf. He claimed that NAB had no right to sideline the final and conclusive judgment of the apex court. “If someone is innocent in the case, he must prove it before the courts,” Raja added.
NAB Prosecutor General KK Agha told The Express Tribune a few days back that it was not necessary to arrest the accused in the case because the National Accountability Ordinance gave plea bargain powers to the country’s top anti-corruption body. However, Raja ruled out
the possibility of a plea bargain option in this case, arguing that Premier Ashraf never became a part of this process.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 17th, 2013.
The Supreme Court on Thursday (today) will hear from the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) the progress made for the arrest of Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf over corruption allegations in the rental power projects (RPP) case.
Addressing the former president of the Supreme Court Bar Association, Yasin Azad – who appeared before the court in a human rights case – Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry on Wednesday said that “dhols” were beating outside the court to force it into not hearing the RPPs case. But, the chief justice said, that he will hear the case “even if the sky falls down.”
The apex court issued a written order on Tuesday for the arrest of Premier Ashraf, along with 15 other accused over the allegations. The deadline to arrest them expired on Wednesday and NAB is supposed to submit a final report in this regard to the apex court today.
The case also took a new turn when Chief Justice Chaudhry, heading a three-judge bench, took notice of some remarks by federal ministers over the apex court’s written order for PM Ashraf’s arrest.
He also criticised the ministers for giving their opinions on the case without knowing the details.
Advocate Salman Akram Raja argued that the Supreme Court had conducted lengthy hearings into the RPPs case and NAB had limited options to not prosecute the accused, including Premier Ashraf. He claimed that NAB had no right to sideline the final and conclusive judgment of the apex court. “If someone is innocent in the case, he must prove it before the courts,” Raja added.
NAB Prosecutor General KK Agha told The Express Tribune a few days back that it was not necessary to arrest the accused in the case because the National Accountability Ordinance gave plea bargain powers to the country’s top anti-corruption body. However, Raja ruled out
the possibility of a plea bargain option in this case, arguing that Premier Ashraf never became a part of this process.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 17th, 2013.