SC to consider report on corruption in NAB

By
Abdul Qayyum Siddiqui
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SC to consider report on corruption in NAB

ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has stated before the Supreme Court of Pakistan that three of its serving Directors Generals were disqualified at the time of their appointments but NAB’s terms of service exempted them from the “method of appointment”.

In a report submitted in the case entitled ‘Suo moto action against illegalities, corruption and violations in appointments within NAB’ before the Supreme Court, NAB took the plea that the three DGs, and three other officers, did not need to possess qualification for their initial appointment.

However, NAB did admit that it was a moot point as to whether the justification for their induction was hit by the principle laid down by the Supreme Court in its earlier judgments on the legality of deputations, inductions and promotions rendered since 2013.

“Nevertheless, subsequent promotions were not in accordance with TCS (terms and conditions of service),” NAB admitted in a statement made by the Bureau’s Counsel in pursuance of the order dated 22 March 2017.

NAB Counsel and Senior Advocate of the Supreme Court, Kh. Muhammad Haris, was directed by the earlier order to examine the report of Secretary Establishment with regard to the inherent disqualification of nine officers, the promotions awarded and whether the appointments by promotion or absorption were in conformity with the principles laid down by the Supreme Court in the three earlier judgments on similar issues.

Relying on the Terms and Conditions of Service, NAB stated in its report: “Thus irrespective of whether these officers had or did not have the requisite qualifications stipulated for initial appointments in the NAB, they were nevertheless eligible to be appointed in the NAB by way of induction, as employees of other services, in the manner specifically envisaged and stipulated by the TCS.”

The report admits to hundreds of irregularities in appointments and promotions in NAB since its inceptions and presents several interesting instances, including that of its DG Zahir Shah, who was appointed on the basis of the claim to experience of conducting investigations while serving as a teacher in Mansehra.

There are several instances of senior officers, including DG NAB KP, who claim to hold postgraduate degrees but those degrees are not available on record. The case of DG NAB KP is a curious one, as he claims to have enrolled for and earned a Master’s degree from an Azad Kashmir University while working full-time in Islamabad.

The Supreme Court will consider the report at the hearing scheduled for Monday (today), where Chairman NAB has also been summoned in person.

The Bench hearing the suo moto case is headed by Justice Amir Hani Muslim, who is also the author of landmark judgments that have led to cancellations of appointments and demotions of thousands of police and other officers since 2013.