Supreme Court rejects PML-N's petition seeking dismissal of NAB chairman

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Thursday rejected a  petition filed by Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) seeking the removal of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chairman Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal from his post.

The decision came during a brief in-chamber session conducted by Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Mian Saqib Nisar over the petition filed by PML-N leader Noor Ahmed Awan.

Awan had filed a constitutional petition against the NAB chairman in the Supreme Court on May 12.

The petition stated that the accountability bureau had released a press statement on May 8 which stated that former prime minister Nawaz Sharif was involved in transferring money to India.

Constitutional petition filed against NAB chairman in SC

Petitioner states that the sole purpose of the NAB press release against Nawaz Sharif was to malign the former PM

On May 8, NAB had issued a press release stating that will probe alleged laundering of $4.9 billion to India by Nawaz and others.

The press release mentioned that the information was taken from the Migration and Remittance Book 2016. However, the State Bank of Pakistan had rejected this information on September 21, 2016, the petition noted.

The petition further stated that the sole purpose of the press release was to malign Nawaz Sharif. The press release has raised questions pertaining to institute's integrity, it mentioned. 

Orders should be given to investigating the move to issue the press release, the petition said, adding that the NAB chairman should also submit an unconditional apology.

The petition also requested for the NAB chairman to be removed from his post.