Friday, August 31, 2012

Pakistan: NAB demoralized over SC verdict

Apex court’s verdict barring National Accountability Bureau from investigating Chief Justice’s son Arsalan Iftikhar has left the premier investigation agency of the country as demoralized with its entire staff perturbed. “Two of our former Chairmen falling prey to the apex court’s orders had already dented the morale of the essential accountability organization,” well-placed sources told Online on condition of anonymity. The sources were referring to the resignation of former Chairman NAB Naveed Ahsan and eviction of his successor Justice (retired) Deedar Hussain Shah both due to the apex court’s disliking. “Now the withdrawal of the Arsalan Iftikhar inquiry, which the Supreme Court itself had assigned to the NAB through the Attorney General, has left its entire hierarchy as stunned,” the sources added. “It appears that the special bench of the Supreme Court has passed this order not only to give relief to Chief Justice’s son but also to deject the NAB, the accountability arm of the federal government,” the sources said. “It has no precedent in the practice of law that an accused is given investigator of choice,” they observed. Legal experts were of view that it would open up a new Pandora Box and would ruin the credibility of the prime institutions like the NAB. According to sources, Dr Shoaib Suddle has no mandate or executive authority to probe anyone, notwithstanding his professional competence and credence. An outstanding officer of the Police Service of Pakistan who has also served as Director General Intelligence Bureau, Dr Suddle is the incumbent Federal Tax Ombudsman. Earlier the NAB sources told Online that Dr Arsalan appeared just once before the NAB authorities but never volunteered to answer the investigators’ questions. “During his single appearance at NAB, he claimed that he would go back to the apex court seeking relief against NAB inquiry,” the sources added. At the same time, Registrar Supreme Court Faqir Hussain never bothered to appear before the NAB.

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