Forged documents: NAB empowered to take action, says SC

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court Monday observed that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had the authority to take action against those involved in submitting forged documents for obtaining job or any other purpose. A three-member bench of the top court, headed by Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed and comprising Justice Umar Ata Bandial and Justice Ijazul Ahsan, made this observation while hearing a case concerning the preparation of a fake merit list by the Punjab Public Service Commission. During the proceedings, Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed remarked that according to NAB laws those submitting fake documents would be imprisoned for 14 years. The NAB prosecutor said the fake merit list was prepared by the Punjab Public Service Commission in which names of 28 persons, who had not even applied for the job, were included among the final 272 candidates.

The counsel for the accused pleaded that it was not a NAB case, as Sections 420 and 471 had been expunged from the NAB laws.

The NAB could not take action against the forgers as the Anti-Corruption Department and other institutions were already there to take action.

He said his client was a stenographer in the Punjab Police and requested the court to grant him bail till the case was decided. Later, the court dismissed the bail plea over withdrawal of a petition filed by accused Yasir Ali.