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Friday March 29, 2024

NAB’s plea seeking adjournment in Hudaibiya case rejected

The anti-graft body has appealed to the court for delay in the proceedings due to non-appointment of its Prosecutor General (PG).

By Web Desk
December 11, 2017

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Monday rejected National Accountability Bureau’s plea for adjournment in the proceedings on its appeal in the apex court in the Hudaibiya Paper Mills case against the Sharif family.

The anti-graft body has appealed to the court for delay in the proceedings due to non-appointment of its Prosecutor General (PG).

A three-member bench headed by Justice Mushir Alam heard the Hudaibiya Paper Mills case.

Justice Mushir observed that non-appointment of NAB Prosecutor General is not a valid reason and the court is not responsible for this.

Justice Qazi Faez Esa asked the NAB counsel on whose directions the appeal was files, on which the lawyer replied that the approval was given during a meeting chaired by the Chairman NAB Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal.

When the court hinted at summoning the chairman NAB, the counsel informed the bench that a summary for appointment of prosecutor general has been forwarded which will be approved soon by the competent authority.

NAB’s plea to seek adjournment in the case was weak and it was expected that the top court will turn down the request.

Under clause (d) of section 8 of the National Accountability Ordinance (NAO), in case the PG is absent or unable to perform the functions of his office due to any reason whatsoever, any other law officer of the NAB, duly authorised by its chairman, will act as the PG.

Thus, till the time a new PG is picked up, the NAB chief can designate any senior lawyer to plead the case in the SC. 

The SC had in its July 28 Panama Papers  case had disqualified Nawaz Sharif and directed the NAB to file  corruption references  against the  Sharifs . The court also  ordered  to challenge the Lahore High Court  (LHC) verdict which quashed the Hudaibiya Paper Mills case.