NRO implementation case haring adjourned till May 3

ISLAMABAD: NAB on Monday told the Supreme Court that the Prime Minister could also be an accused in NRO implementation case while in the contempt case the PM's counsel Aitzaz Ahsan continuing his arguments said holding a trial was the job of a High Court and not of the SC. Aitzaz will resume his arguments on Tuesday.

The seven-member SC bench headed by Justice Nasirul Mulk and comprising Justice Asif Saeed Khan Khosa, Justice Sarmad Jalal Osmani, Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan, Justice Ijaz Ahmed Chaudhry, Justice Gulzar Ahmed and Justice Athar Saeed resumed hearing of the NRO implementation case on Monday.

During the course of the hearing, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) submitted its report in writing with the court.

NAB told the court that Prime Minister was not aware of the fact that Adnan Khwaja was a convict when he was appointed as OGDCL chief and that Secretary Establishment had kept this information concealed.

It said the investigation was underway into the matter and responsibility would be fixed on the accused after getting hold of the evidence. It, however, added that the Prime Minister could also be an accused in the case.

According to NAB report, the former attorney Gen Malik Qayyum had written a letter to the Swiss authorities for getting the cases dismissed without taking the government's permission for it. Qayyum, who was repeatedly summoned failed appear before NAB, is presently outside the country for medical treatment, it added. As a result the investigations had remained halted.

It further said that the British embassy had also been contacted in connection with Malik Qayyum's return and the option of issuing red notices would also be used, if required.

However, the apex court declared the NAB report unsatisfactory and adjourned the hearing till May 3.

The same seven-judge SC bench also held a hearing of contempt of court case against the Prime Minister.

The PM's counsel, Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan raising objections against bench advised the judges to set themselves aside from the hearing. On this, Justice Sarmad Jalali remarked that the complainant was the court whose ruling had not been implemented and not the judges.

Aitzaz said under Article-187 of the Constitution, the competent forum for getting court verdicts implemented was not the Supreme Court but the High Court.