LHC not okay with NAB response to Chaudhrys case

LAHORE: A Lahore High Court two-judge bench on Thursday expressed dissatisfaction with the response of NAB Lahore Director-General Shahzad Saleem with regard to the 20-year-old inquiries pending against PML-Q President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Punjab Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi. On being summoned, the bureau’s director-general appeared before the bench comprising Justice Sadaqat Ali Khan and Justice Chaudhry Shehram Sarwar.

Responding to the bench’s queries, Mr Saleem said he was appointed DG in 2017 and the inquiries against the petitioners had been initiated in 2000. He sought time to apprise the bench of the present status of the inquiries against the Chaudhrys.

Justice Sarwar observed that the inquiries in question had been pending for the last 20 years and the NAB DG still needed time to know the progress on them. The judge also admonished the DG for his wrong choice of words to address the court and the officer sought an apology.

The bench adjourned the hearing until Nov 30 and directed the DG to come up fully prepared. The PML-Q leaders, also allies of the PTI-led government, had alleged in their petition that the NAB was being used for political engineering and old cases against them were being repeatedly opened and closed.

They said all the three investigations had been recommended for closure by the investigating officers and regional NAB board during 2017 and 2018. However, the sitting NAB chairman had approved reinvestigation and bifurcation of the inquiries against them after an investigation of 20 years since authorization of the investigation in 2000. They had asked the court to set aside the authorization of the inquiries and the order for their bifurcation for being unlawful.