NAB insults and releases accused at will, says SC

ISLAMABAD: While declaring the performance of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) unsatisfactory, the Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday said the attitude of the Bureau had been becoming intolerable as it insulted and released accused on its own will.

The court gave this observation during the hearing of a case regarding involvement of officers in illegal appointments in the Education Department, Sindh. The court disposed of applications of pre-arrest bails of these officers and after that NAB officials arrested them from the premises of the court.

The court observed why NAB did not take action against those who were involved in big scandals. It said oppression is being perpetrated against some people but undeserving people are enjoying perks and privileges, while some are being released on surety bonds but big scandals are not being touched.

The two-member bench, headed by Justice Ejaz Afzal, heard the case. The accused, Allah Bachaio, Ali Akbar Hangro, Shaukat Hussain Jokio, Nazir Ahmad Maqbool Memon, Sabir Hussain Ali Sher Mirani, and Nazir Malkani, appeared with their counsels in the court.

The counsel of Sindh government, Latif Khosa, adopted the stance that NAB had become a partial institution as the standard of NAB was different for Sindh and Punjab. He said that Sharjeel Memon was put in jail in Karachi while here the accused were roaming freely. He said that NAB had taken a wrong decision regarding the bails of Ishaq Dar and Captain Safdar. He said that NAB order of bail for them would be challenged in court.