Selected accountability is a matter of concern, says Supreme Court

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) on Friday observed that selected accountability is a matter of concern as the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) set free the favourites. The apex court said that the process of accountability should not be based on liking and disliking.

A three-member bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Mushir Alam and comprising Justice Qazi Muhammad Amin Ahmed and Justice Yahya Afridi, heard the National Accountability Bureau’s appeal against acquittal of accused Arshad Ali. During the course of proceedings, Justice Qazi Amin said whether the state was asleep when the loans were given. He asked how NAB could deal with bank loan defaulters.

NAB Special Prosecutor said that the loan was issued without the approval of the board of directors. He said that real culprit in the case was Zulifqar who had died. Justice Qazi Amin said that there should be no likes and dislikes in the accountability process. He said that accountability must be in accordance with the law. Justice Mushir Alam said that selective accountability was a problem for the courts.

Justice Qazi Amin asked if NAB took action against all of the defaulters, as hundreds of thousands of people were defaulters of the banks. He asked NAB filed references against how many bank defaulters. He said that this case did not fall under the purview of NAB.

He said that the accused had also returned Rs5.6 million under plea bargain. He said that the accused was in jail in another case. Justice Qazi Amin asked the NAB Prosecutor to take instructions to withdraw the case. Later, hearing of the case was adjourned for one week.