Court asks NAB: Who will foot bill of Sadiq’s extradition?

Bench also seeks details of persons helping ex-OGRA chief escape.

ISLAMABAD:

The Supreme Court on Wednesday sought details pertaining to the expenditure incurred for bringing back former chairman Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) Tauqeer Sadiq from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and who will pay for it.

A two-member bench of the apex court headed by Justice Jawwad S Khawaja and Justice Khilji Arif Hussain heard case about the arrest of Sadiq allegedly involved in the Rs82 billion scam.

The court further sought progress report pertaining to action taken so for by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) authorities against the people who were involved in helping Sadiq flee the country.

Saidiq after evading multiple attempts to arrest him escaped Pakistan in December last year along with his spouse and two daughters. First he went to Kathmandu and then UAE, where he was traced and extradited to Pakistan after hectic efforts and a change of government.



Appearing on notice Prosecutor General NAB K K Agha informed the court that Sadiq was brought back from UAE and the accountability court had remanded him to NAB custody for 14 days.

The court however asked the NAB’s top prosecutor to provide details regarding the expenditures incurred on bringing back Sadiq from the UAE with further direction to explain from whom the amount will be recovered.

Justice Jawad S Khawaja said that despite the fact that the investigation officer in the instant case had located Sadiq in Pakistan the motorway police failed to arrest him and consequently the fugitive escaped.



The court recalled that IG Motorway police along with the help of some political figures facilitated Sadiq in fleeing the country.

The court asked prosecutor general NAB as to what steps had been taken so far against the people helping Sadiq escape.

Agha replied that an investigation officer had been deputed for ascertaining the facts, claiming that progress was being made in the instant matter and soon a comprehensive report would be submitted before the court.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 11^th, 2013.