SC announces to send NAB tops to jail

Courtesy: The News

ISLAMABAD: Supreme Court (SC) has ordered to put behind bars the Chairman of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Naveed Ahsan and acting Chairman Irfan Nadeem, Geo News reported Tuesday.

The six-member SC bench headed by the Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Iftikhar Muhammed Chaudhry heard the Court Contempt notices against the NAB, Interior Ministry, the FIA and high-ups of Establishment Division for not implementing the SC’s NRO verdict.

The court also slammed the Swiss cases record’s being kept at Pakistan’s High Commission in London and said in its remarks that the matter relating the President’s immunity could be scrutinized if put before the court.

The NAB counsel Abid Zuberi told the court that Swiss cases record has been taken from the Pakistani High Commission, adding the record is sealed.

Justice Khalilur Rehman Ramday wondered who would be responsible if the record is mishandled at the High Commission, adding this is the record which is under the custody of the criminals.

NAB chairman Naveed said the issue of President’s immunity is stumbling block in the matter relating Swiss cases. The CJ responded that if somebody faces problem over the issue, he would contact the court; addressing the NAB top official not to advocate it for nothing, as he (the President) did not claim the immunity.

The CJ Chaudhry told the NAB official that he will remain jailed until the NRO verdict is materialized.

Justice Chadhry Ijaz bristled in his remarks that the Executive is above the court’s verdict stemming its implementation.

NAB chief said he was on leave from March 9th in the wake of court verdict on the NRO.

Ahsan said he unconditionally apologizes to the Court, arguing that he was under wrong impression with regard to presidential immunity. The Chief Justice reprimanded Chairman Nab, saying that if someone has any thing to claim regarding immunity, he or she should come to the court to claim it, and that how could Chairman NAB decide on this matter on his own.

The CJ said if he does not send the responsible persons to the jail then he himself would fail his duties.

Though, the Swiss cases were not opened; but, the 60 million dollars of the country were searched for, he interrogated.

Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Iftikhar Muhammed Chaudhry addressed the NAB chief, ‘You had 80 days; but, you didn’t take any action before going on vacations. The Court gave you one-day notice tomorrow. Now, we are sending you to jail on one-day notice, as you are the responsible for no implementation.’

‘You will stay in jail until the SC’s verdict on National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) is implemented; the NAB wasted over three months,’ the court scolded.

The CJ Chaudhry told Ahsan that he is being sent to Adiala Jail on contempt of court and the court would see about if the government shows up for his rescue.

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Source – http://thenews.com.pk/updates.asp?id=101804