Decision on graft cases not possible in 30 days, NAB chief informs SC

ISLAMABAD: National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal on Saturday informed the Supreme Court of Pakistan that decision on corruption cases is not possible in 30 days due to the less number of accountability courts in the country, ARY News reported.

The Chairman NAB has submitted his response in the Supreme Court (SC) in a case pertaining to irregularities in Lakhra power plant.

Javed Iqbal in a letter wrote that each accountability court is hearing almost 50 cases at a time. Due to excessive cases, trials are delayed.

“The anti-corruption watchdog has repeatedly informed the government about the delays in trials due to the excessive burden of cases. The bureau had also requested govt for the formation of additional courts in Lahore, Karachi, Rawalpindi, Islamabad and Balochistan,” he wrote in a letter.

NAB chairman believes this problem can be solved if more accountability courts are set up across the country. He further said that there are around 50 corruption cases in every accountability court at the moment.

“We have to acquire services of retired judges to hear appeals if district and sessions judges are not available,” Iqbal wrote.

The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Monday criticised the National Accountability Bureau for its “lack of professionalism, expertise, and sincerity of cause” which it said was the reason behind “the conviction rate in NAB cases is abysmally low.

In its 87-page written verdict by Justice Maqbool Baqir, the apex court said that it was an unfortunate fact that the people of Pakistan were not getting their constitutional rights despite the formation of the country since 72 years and its constitution since 47 years.

“The law mandates investigations to be concluded expeditiously and trial to be concluded within 30 days,” reads the verdict.