Ogra scam: Supreme Court summons NAB chief
Bench orders the bureau to explain non-compliance of its orders.
The bench, however, noted that there was only a period of five months, when NAB was without a chairman. PHOTO: AFP/FILE
ISLAMABAD:
The Supreme Court summoned National Accountability Bureau chief Qamar Zaman Chaudhry today (Wednesday) to explain why its November 2011 ruling in the over Rs82 billion Ogra scam hadn’t been complied with.
A three-judge bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Jawwad S Khawaja, observed on Tuesday that the progress on the Ogra corruption case was “extremely slow”.
“Order sheets show that for a period of more than 26 months, which elapsed since the date of our judgment, very little or at most negligent progress has been made in the investigation and the prosecution of at least four aspects of the case, which have been repeatedly referred to in earlier orders,” the court order said.
Four aspects of case
Reeling off four features of the Ogra corruption case, the court says that first is the question of those who may have been responsible for, and involved in, the appointment of Tauqir Sadiq as Ogra chairman.
The second is the matter of prosecuting Tauqir Sadiq and others and recovering the amount, which according to the initial investigation made by the NAB, exceeds Rs82 billion.
The third is identifying persons who were prima facie, complicit in enabling Tauqir Sadiq to abscond and get out of Pakistan.
The fourth is the case of whether persons within the NAB or outside of the bureau may have been less than diligent in pursuing the case.
Court unsatisfied
During the hearing of the case on Tuesday, NAB Prosecutor General K K Agha appeared before the bench and pointed out that a reference had been filed in this matter, which was pending adjudication in the accountability court.
He also said that between May 2013 and October 2013 there was no NAB chairman, a fact that stalled all progress in the case.
The bench, however, expressed dissatisfaction over the prosecutor’s statement and noted that over 26 months have passed since its judgment and there was only a period of five months, when NAB was without a chairman.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 22nd, 2014.
The Supreme Court summoned National Accountability Bureau chief Qamar Zaman Chaudhry today (Wednesday) to explain why its November 2011 ruling in the over Rs82 billion Ogra scam hadn’t been complied with.
A three-judge bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Jawwad S Khawaja, observed on Tuesday that the progress on the Ogra corruption case was “extremely slow”.
“Order sheets show that for a period of more than 26 months, which elapsed since the date of our judgment, very little or at most negligent progress has been made in the investigation and the prosecution of at least four aspects of the case, which have been repeatedly referred to in earlier orders,” the court order said.
Four aspects of case
Reeling off four features of the Ogra corruption case, the court says that first is the question of those who may have been responsible for, and involved in, the appointment of Tauqir Sadiq as Ogra chairman.
The second is the matter of prosecuting Tauqir Sadiq and others and recovering the amount, which according to the initial investigation made by the NAB, exceeds Rs82 billion.
The third is identifying persons who were prima facie, complicit in enabling Tauqir Sadiq to abscond and get out of Pakistan.
The fourth is the case of whether persons within the NAB or outside of the bureau may have been less than diligent in pursuing the case.
Court unsatisfied
During the hearing of the case on Tuesday, NAB Prosecutor General K K Agha appeared before the bench and pointed out that a reference had been filed in this matter, which was pending adjudication in the accountability court.
He also said that between May 2013 and October 2013 there was no NAB chairman, a fact that stalled all progress in the case.
The bench, however, expressed dissatisfaction over the prosecutor’s statement and noted that over 26 months have passed since its judgment and there was only a period of five months, when NAB was without a chairman.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 22nd, 2014.