ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Wednesday expressed dissatisfaction over the performance of Director General National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Balochistan, and member of the Panama Joint Investigation Team (JIT) Irfan Naeem Mangi, saying the anti-graft body had become a facilitator of corruption.
A three-member bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Dost Muhammad Khan, was hearinga bail application of former Balochistan minister of food Asfandyar Khan Kakar in the wheat corruption case.
The court observed that Irfan Naeem Mangi, who was facing inquiries, was served a show cause notice for removal from service in the light of the apex court judgment on illegal appointments in NAB, has now become a hero.“Due to the judgment of the apex court in Panama Leaks case, we cannot get hold of Irfan Naeem Mangi,” Justice Dost Muhammad Khan said.
Justice Qazi Faiz Isa, another member of the bench, while expressing annoyance over the poor performance of NAB, observed that the anti-graft body has become a facilitator of corruption. He questioned as to why the DG NAB Balochistan should notbe made an accused in the instant case, adding the anti-graft body would only showan improvement in performance ifcases were filed against its officers.
The court observed that decisions by the NAB Balochistan in several important cases are still pending. The court saidthe Bureau has made a mockery of corruption cases and a person caught red-handed in a case was set free by NAB. The court observed that whilethe Bureau was required to finishthe case in 30 days, it was unable to conclude cases even in 30 months.
Meanwhile, the court accepted the bail application of Asfandyar Kakar on surety bonds of Rs10 million.The NAB had filed references against Asfandyar and others in connection with the251,000 wheat bagsthat wentmissing from a storage in district Pishin, during the Pakistan People’s Party government. He was in NAB’s custodyafter the Balochistan High Court had cancelled his bail application after which he moved the Supreme Court.
In another case, the court rejected an extension in pre-arrest bail of former director food Balochistan Abdul Wali Kakar. The court observed that the accused was on anticipatory bail for over two years, adding the courts should decide the cases of anticipatory bail at the earliest.Justice Dost Muhammad Khan observed that corruption is also an art, adding that peoplecannot get promotion without indulging in corrupt practices. He wondered as to how the High Courtgranted interim bail tothe accused. He further observed that influential and rich accused get facilities in jails while the poor get nothing.
During the hearing, counsel for NAB informed the court that the accused Abdul Wali Kakar, along with other co-accused, was involved in illegal transferof wheat. The court was informed that the accused had secured pre-arrest bail after whichhe did not appear before the anti-graft body. Later, the accused was arrested from the court premises.