PM arrest orders: NAB terms its own report 'inaccurate'
Fasih Bokhari says the reports were compiled in a hurry, they do not have complete record of the case.
Chairman of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Fasih Bokhari arrives at the Supreme Court in Islamabad on January 17, 2013. PHOTO: AFP
ISLAMABAD:
National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chairman Fasih Bokhari declared the investigation report earlier submitted to the Supreme Court in the Rental Power Projects (RPP) case as inaccurate, reported Express News on Thursday.
The court had ordered the arrest of Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf after reviewing the two investigation reports submitted by NAB. But, during today’s hearing, NAB chairman claimed that the reports did not have the complete record of the case.
Bokhari also said that the investigation officers had worked in a hurry and did not provide proofs in their reports.
Bokhari told Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry that the investigations into the 2010 power projects were not ready, saying it takes time to find evidence to prosecute those allegedly involved.
The chief justice dismissed NAB’s report as unsatisfactory and ordered Bokhari to report back 15 minutes later with the case files so that the court could itself point out evidence that could form the basis of a prosecution.
In March 2012, the court ordered legal proceedings against PM Ashraf, who at the time was a close aide of President Asif Ali Zardari and was water and power minister at the time the power projects were set up.
But on Thursday, a defiant NAB told the Supreme Court it was a constitutional court and therefore was not able to investigate the case.
"Our mandate is to ensure the judgment is implemented. We have based the entire judgment on documentary evidence," hit back Chaudhry.
"There may be some persons who consider themselves to be above the law. I want to tell you no-one is above law. Why your machinery is not moving against the persons concerned, what is the hurdle?" he added.
NAB refuses to arrest PM
NAB chairman Bokhari on Thursday rejected a Supreme Court order to arrest the prime minister, television channels reported, providing some relief to a government gripped by political turmoil.
On Tuesday, the court ordered the arrest of Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf in connection with alleged kickbacks in transactions involving rental power plants when he served as power minister.
The hearing was adjourned till January 23.
National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chairman Fasih Bokhari declared the investigation report earlier submitted to the Supreme Court in the Rental Power Projects (RPP) case as inaccurate, reported Express News on Thursday.
The court had ordered the arrest of Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf after reviewing the two investigation reports submitted by NAB. But, during today’s hearing, NAB chairman claimed that the reports did not have the complete record of the case.
Bokhari also said that the investigation officers had worked in a hurry and did not provide proofs in their reports.
Bokhari told Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry that the investigations into the 2010 power projects were not ready, saying it takes time to find evidence to prosecute those allegedly involved.
The chief justice dismissed NAB’s report as unsatisfactory and ordered Bokhari to report back 15 minutes later with the case files so that the court could itself point out evidence that could form the basis of a prosecution.
In March 2012, the court ordered legal proceedings against PM Ashraf, who at the time was a close aide of President Asif Ali Zardari and was water and power minister at the time the power projects were set up.
But on Thursday, a defiant NAB told the Supreme Court it was a constitutional court and therefore was not able to investigate the case.
"Our mandate is to ensure the judgment is implemented. We have based the entire judgment on documentary evidence," hit back Chaudhry.
"There may be some persons who consider themselves to be above the law. I want to tell you no-one is above law. Why your machinery is not moving against the persons concerned, what is the hurdle?" he added.
NAB refuses to arrest PM
NAB chairman Bokhari on Thursday rejected a Supreme Court order to arrest the prime minister, television channels reported, providing some relief to a government gripped by political turmoil.
On Tuesday, the court ordered the arrest of Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf in connection with alleged kickbacks in transactions involving rental power plants when he served as power minister.
The hearing was adjourned till January 23.