NAB must set its own house in order: CJP

ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Mian Saqib Nisar Tuesday advised the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to set its own house in order and avoid insulting the accused during investigation.

Heading a three-member bench, the top judge was hearing the LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) contract case. The chief justice disposed of the case after directing the NAB to conduct an inquiry and submit a report on the alleged corruption.

During the hearing, the NAB prosecutor general informed the court about recovery of 80 per cent record of the scandal.

He also told the chief justice that his directives had been communicated to all investigating officers. The chief justice advised the NAB officials against disclosing the case details in the open court.

He also directed the bureau to speed up the investigation process and ensure that the references were filed with the courts on time. The chief justice expressed anger at the maltreatment of accused by the NAB investigators.

He told the NAB prosecutor general that a person met him the day before and told him that an investigator had slapped him. Justice Nisar warned that the court will not spare the NAB investigators insulting and maltreating the accused.

Hearing another case, the chief justice shamed those saying that seeking donations for construction of Diamer-Bhasha and Mohmand dams was ‘begging’.

He expressed anger at the undue criticism saying only ‘narrow-minded people have such thinking’.

He said when the opponents could not find anything substantial to dish the dirt at the court and government they started pointing fingers at the construction of the dam.”

“We started the fund in the name of patriotism and working on a self-help basis in not begging,” he said.

The chief justice established a dam fund in July this year to raise money for construction of Diamer-Bhasha and Mohmand dams.