LHC issues notice on a plea challenging NAB’s authority

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Tuesday sought a reply from the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on a petition challenging NAB’s authority in arresting a suspect without completion of investigation.

The court also issued a notice to the federal government and sought its reply. The LHC also summoned attorney general of Pakistan for assistance in the case.

In the previous hearing of the case in Dec last year, petitioner Counsel AK Dogar stated that arrest of an alleged accused during investigation and trial was inconsistent with the article 10 of the Constitution which safeguards as to arrest and detention for two reasons, first, no person could remain in custody unless he was informed of the grounds of his arrest because grounds could only be established after investigation was completed. He stated that the other was no investigation was constitutionally valid unless an accused had been granted the fundamental right to consult and be defended by a counsel of his own choice.

He stated that NAB had a constitutional obligation not to deny an accused to consult and be defended by a lawyer at the time of investigation. He stated that section 24 (a) and (d) of the NAB Ordinance 1999 was in violation of article 10-A of the Constitution.