ISLAMABAD: Supreme Court dismissed plea moved by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) seeking removal of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal from his post.
Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar heard the petition in his chamber. PML-N leader Noor Ahmed Awan had approached the apex court against the NAB chairman in the Supreme Court on May 12.
The petitioner took the stance that the accountability bureau had released a press statement on May 8, which had stated that former prime minister Nawaz Sharif was involved in transferring money worth of $4.9 billion to India and NAB would probe the matter.
The petitioner further stated that the sole purpose of the press release was to malign Nawaz Sharif. However, the State Bank of Pakistan had rejected that information on September 21, 2016, the petitioner noted.
The petitioner requested the court to remove NAB chairman from his post for leveling allegations against his leader. The chief justice after going through the arguments rejected the plea and disposed of the matter.
A relevant piece published earlier:
A meeting of Executive Board of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chaired by Justice Javed Iqbal was held at NAB Headquarters on Wednesday, which took many decisions.
“It may be noted that NAB complaint verifications, inquiries, and Investigations are being initiated on the basis of alleged deaths allegations only which are not final. NAB would check the veracity of alleged allegations as per law before initiating converting into inquiry proceedings,” a press release issued here Wednesday said.
The EBM has authorized conducting an inquiry against former prime ministers Nawaz Sharif and Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and others for misuse of authority and allegedly illegal awarding LNG Terminal contract to the favorite company for 15 years without completion of all codal formalities. They have been accused of inflicting billions of losses to the national exchequer.
EBM authorized inquiry against the former chief minister of Sindh, former secretary of culture, tourism department and others. They have been accused of corruption and awarding contracts of Sindh Cultural Festival 2014 against the rules this allegedly caused Rs127 million loss to the national kitty.
EBM authorized inquiry against chief minister Punjab, relevant secretaries, former MPA from Chiniot and management of Ramzan Sugar Mills Chiniot as they have been accused of involvement in inflicting losses to national kitty and misuse of authority. The EBM approved the filing of reference against former chairman Karachi Port Trust vice Admiral Retd.
Ahmed Hayat, former General Manager KPT Brig Retd Syed Jamshed Zaidi and Messers Karachi International Containers Terminal. They have been accused of illegal extension in contract causing Rs 21 billion losses to the national exchequer.
The EBM authorized inquiry against former Balochistan Minister Shaikh Jaffar Khan and deputy director Water Management Abdul Latif Khan for having assets of beyond known resources of income and misusing of authority. EBM authorized inquiry against former provincial forest minister Abdullah Babat and others.
They have been accused of inflicting losses to national kitty by abuse of authority, misappropriation of government funds and having assets beyond known sources of income. (7th of June, 2018)
