LHC slams NAB DG over lack of preparation to answer queries

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday came down hard on NAB Lahore Director-General Shahzad Saleem over lack of preparation to answer its queries regarding inquiries pending against PML-Q President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Punjab Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi.

A two-judge bench comprising Justice Sadaqat Ali Khan and Justice Chaudhry Shehram Sarwar directed the NAB DG to come up fully prepared at the next hearing on December 17.

Also Read: Graft inquiries against Chaudhrys: NAB DG seeks time to submit record

“It appears that the NAB DG has not prepared the report himself,” the bench remarked referring to the report submitted in the case. Mr Saleem, however, insisted that he was reading the report that he had himself prepared and added the inquiries were recommended for closure before his appointment to the post.

The court admonished the investigation officer over guiding the NAB DG on details of the case in a hushed tone and warned that both of them will be expelled from the courtroom if he did it again.

Also Read: NAB DG asked to explain why inquiries against Chaudhrys are pending for 2 decades

The PML-Q leaders alleged in their petition that the NAB was being used for political engineering and old cases against them were reopened. The inquiries that have been reopened had been recommended for closure by the investigating officers and regional NAB board during 2017 and 2018, they added.