Court appearance: SC refuses NAB chief’s exemption request
Bokhari says he had been appearing for three consecutive days, leaving him unable to perform official duties.
Chairman of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Fasih Bokhari. PHOTO: AFP/FILE
ISLAMABAD:
The Supreme Court has turned down a request from the head of the anti-corruption watchdog to exempt him from personally appearing in the proceedings against him for writing a strongly worded letter to the president.
National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chief Fasih Bokhari is in the dock for writing to President Asif Ali Zardari on January 27. In his letter he said that the Supreme Court proceedings were putting undue pressure on NAB investigators by trying to influence investigations in different corruption cases.
On Wednesday, Bokhari told the court that he had been appearing before the judges for three consecutive days, leaving him unable to perform official duties.
Reiterating this request, Bokhari’s lawyer, Advocate Naveed Mirza, said that the Supreme Court had served Bokhari notices and not a show-cause notice that necessitated personal appearances.
Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, along with Justice Gulzar Ahmed and Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed, did not accept the request and put off the matter until March 14.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 21st, 2013.
The Supreme Court has turned down a request from the head of the anti-corruption watchdog to exempt him from personally appearing in the proceedings against him for writing a strongly worded letter to the president.
National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chief Fasih Bokhari is in the dock for writing to President Asif Ali Zardari on January 27. In his letter he said that the Supreme Court proceedings were putting undue pressure on NAB investigators by trying to influence investigations in different corruption cases.
On Wednesday, Bokhari told the court that he had been appearing before the judges for three consecutive days, leaving him unable to perform official duties.
Reiterating this request, Bokhari’s lawyer, Advocate Naveed Mirza, said that the Supreme Court had served Bokhari notices and not a show-cause notice that necessitated personal appearances.
Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, along with Justice Gulzar Ahmed and Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed, did not accept the request and put off the matter until March 14.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 21st, 2013.