| GEO Pakistan | | SC hearing NRO verdict case | Updated at: 1018 PST, Tuesday, May 25, 2010
ISLAMABAD: Federal Law Minister Dr. Babar Awan apprised the Supreme Court (SC) of the government steps taken up in connection with the implementation of court’s verdict on National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO), Geo News reported Tuesday.
A five-member bench of the Supreme Court headed by Justice Nasir-ul-Mulk is hearing the case.
Awan was summoned by the court to explain the reasons for the delay in the implementation of the court’s verdict on NRO.
The federal law minister said the government is not using the delaying tactics for implementing the NRO verdict.
The number of prosecutors of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) is being aggrandized, the federal Law Minister informed the apex court adding the amazing facts will be uncovered, if the documents regarding the former AG is presented.
‘We have removed the Prosecutor General and two NAB courts are being constituted,’ he added.
The federal law minister said the summary for reference against former Attorney General Malik Qayyum has been sent to Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani.
According to record, the investigations were conducted in Swiss court; however, the action was unilateral.
The investigations proved that the amount at Swiss banks is quite inflated; the fact is other way round, Awan said adding the magistrate did not have the matter relating $60 million at Swiss banks.
The Attorney General was not authorized to open the Swiss cases in 1997, he said adding he (AG Malik) wrote a letter without government’s consent and with no powers for the same.
‘Swiss Magistrate got him (Malik) write the letter of his choice,’ he added.
He said, ‘I have told the court nine steps regarding the NRO verdict implementation case; however, rules of business are the stumbling block in the way for the 10th step.’
The federal Law Minister said the government is not in favour of any confrontation with the judiciary, he said adding the government respects judiciary and the law, as it implemented the SC’s verdicts in LNG and bureaucratic case.
‘The government believes in implementation of the SC’s verdicts,’ he observed.
Justice Nasirul Mulk said the government statements regarding the NRO implementation were ambiguous, adding the judiciary did not want to hear the history of the government steps.
Furthermore, Justice Nasir urged the federal minister to categorically brief the court on implementation and the latest development in this regard.
Justice Raja Fayyaz asked as to how many days and months government required to implement the NRO verdict.
At the end of hearing, the Law Minister pleaded the court to give three-week time, as he is going abroad.
Later on, the hearing was adjourned for two weeks till June 10. (Last updated at 1050) |  |
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