CJ terms NAB a corruption promoting body

ISLAMABAD: The Chief Justice of Pakistan, Iftikihar Muhammad Chaudhry Thursday regretted that National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has turned into a body that promotes corruption instead of putting a check on it.

Presiding over proceedings in connection with implementation of orders in Rental Power Project case, the CJ asked the Chairman NAB to submit in writing that the latter cannot take action against influential people.

The Supreme Court in its judgment on March 30 had declared void the agreements in connection with Rental Power Projects and referred the case to NAB with the directives to initiate criminal proceeding against the people involved.

In its progress report, the NAB said that those involved in the case wanted to settle the case through plea-bargain. On this, the Supreme Court admonished the NAB, asking where in its judgment had the court ordered to allow plea-bargain. The arrests should take place first, the SC ordered.

"Advance money was paid twice for machinery in Naudero plant, isn't it a criminal negligence? ….. Doesn't it make a criminal case against the then Minister for Water and Power?" the court asked,

The Chief Justice told the NAB to stop coming up with its own version of verdicts on court orders and to avoid repeatedly misleading the court.

Justice Jawwad S Khawaja regretted that the NAB failed to take even a single step in the past six months. The institutions are becoming bankrupt but nobody feels any pain, he said, adding 'it seems as if all are hand-in-hand in it'.

The next hearing into the case will be held Friday.