SHC directs Centre to submit progress report on NAB’s draft rules

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court on Tuesday directed the federal law officer to submit relevant report from ministry of law and justice with regard to the status of national accountability bureau’s draft rules.

Reports said the direction came on petition seeking framing the NAB’s investigation rules in compliance of Section-34 of National Accountability Ordinance. The petitioner, M. Tariq Mansoor Advocate, had submitted a petition that NAB’s investigation and inquiries rules, have not been framed despite promulgation of the Ordinance since 1999. The NAB’s special prosecutor submitted that the draft rules were forwarded to the ministry of law and justice on January 4, 2021, in compliance of Section-34 of the ordinance to be submitted before the President of Pakistan for approval.

The NAB’s counsel also submitted that as per information received from the NAB’s prosecution division that the draft rules were still under scrutiny in the ministry of law and justice. The petitioner maintained that the NAB was delaying in framing rules of investigation and inquiries, despite that it was mandatory under the NAB’s ordinance. The court inquired federal law officer about the status of draft rules, which was pending before the ministry of law and justice.

The federal law officer sought time to submit relevant report, showing that what progress has been made on the NAB’s letter and whether in pursuance of the same the draft rules were submitted to the President of Pakistan or not.