NAB turns criminals into angels through plea bargain: SC

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday observed that NAB had turned criminals into angels through plea bargain and sought a list of pending cases and officials working on deputation in the NAB.
A division bench of the apex court comprising Justice Ameer Hani Muslim and Justice Dost Muhammad Khan directed Prosecutor General NAB Waqas Qadeer Dar to file a list of NAB cases in the apex court, so that the court could recommend Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali to club all the NAB cases for further hearing.
The bench resumed hearing in cases regarding mismanagement in the NAB moved by Asad Kharal, Mehmood Akhtar Naqvi and others. Prosecutor General NAB Waqas Qadeer Dar told the bench that NAB had updated its official website and all kinds of information regarding investigations, inquiries, complaints and references had been uploaded on the website.
He said NAB had initiated an inquiry against two of its officials through police, and all the NAB officials had been directed to maintain diaries in all cases.
Justice Ameer Hani Muslim remarked that the officers coming to the NAB on deputation were the major reason of mismanagement because they had no probe investigation experience.
He remarked that FIA should be closed down if NAB was to look into cases worth Rs50 million. He said due to the NAB, the official who stole Rs50 million was restored to his office after paying Rs15 million. He said plea bargain means that people are free to loot if they give ‘them’ its share.
He said one accused is punished and another freed in the same case through plea bargain, which amounts to promoting corruption. The court observed that cases are not resolved in the NAB as long as the accused loses his senses. He said NAB, FIA and the Anti-Corruption Establishment were doing the same job, which is resulting in conflicts among institutions. It observed that institutions should work within their limits. Later, the court adjourned further hearing of the case for an indefinite period.