179 ‘mega corruption cases’: NAB gets seven convictions despite Supreme Court’s notice

ISLAMABAD: In May 2015, NAB had submitted a list of 179 ‘mega cases’ of corruption to the Supreme Court. But despite the passage of over five years, the Bureau could manage getting seven convictions through the courts.

Official information shared by NAB on its website shows that in eight cases, the trial court acquitted the accused, including Asif Ali Zardari, Raja Pervez Ashraf, Shaukat Tareen and others (acquitted in two cases), ex-MNA Ajnum Aqeel Khan and others and ex-MNA Naseem ur Rehman. There are also plea bargain cases that the Bureau put in the category of convictions.

Details available on the Bureau’s website, updated a few months ago, show the name of Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Chaudhry Pervez Elahi in the category of those facing investigation. But of late, these investigations have been dropped by the Bureau. Among the cases of alleged mega corruption there is an investigation against Mian Nawaz Sharif and Mian Shahbaz Sharif in relation to the construction of Raiwind Road.

The list also includes a case of misuse of authority against Ishaq Dar. The NAB website explains that an investigation against him, started following an informer’s information, was closed in September 2016 by the Bureau's Executive Board. “However, on the direction of the Supreme Court, an investigation on the allegations of assets beyond means has been authorised and interim reference No 21/2017 has been filed before the Accountability Court on 08-09-17 which is under trial, moreover, supplementary investigation is under process.”

Interestingly, NAB claims, “the highest priority was given by NAB to expeditiously finalize these 179 mega cases as well as other pending cases with various regional NABs in a professional manner without compromising on the transparency and merit of the cases.”

Out of 81 inquiries in 2015, 42 have been upgraded to the investigation stage, six have been settled through the voluntary return option, 23 have been closed, merged or referred to other departments while 10 inquiries are still pending.

Out of 52 investigations into these mega corruption cases in 2015, 15 are still under investigation. After the addition of 42 inquiries which were upgraded, the number of total cases of investigations rose to 94 out of which 68 were finalized for reference, four have been settled under the plea bargain clause while seven investigations have been closed.

In 2015, the mega cases included 48 references and during these five years, with the conversion from investigation, the total number of court cases rose to 114 which include the disposal of 17 cases through convictions (either by a court or through a plea bargain) whereas 97 cases are under trial.

As on September 14 2020, NAB claims that out of 179 cases of mega corruption, 10 are under process inquiries, 15 are under process investigations, 97 cases are of references under trial and 57 have been disposed of.