Pending cases: CJP orders formation of 120 Accountability Courts

ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed on Wednesday ordered formation of 120 new accountability courts for early decisions on pending accountability cases, ARY News reported.

Justice Gulzar Ahmed while hearing a case directed the Law Secretary to constitute 120 new accountability courts with appointment of judges taking directives from the competent authorities.

The top judge also directed for decision on all pending references of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) within three months.

Expressing his displeasure over the NAB’s performance Justice Gulzar Ahmed said that NAB cases were meant to be solved in 30 days but some cases have been pending for 20 years. “If the bureau is serious in enforcement of its law?”

“Why the references are not being decided? The bureau’s 1226 references have been in pending,” Justice Gulzar remarked. The decisions on these 1226 references perhaps will take a century,” the chief justice said.

He remarked that NAB cases were meant to be solved in 30 days but some cases have been pending for 20 years. “What’s the point of the bureau and its laws when it can’t even implement them?”

All pending corruption references and inquiries must be solved in three months, he instructed the NAB chairperson.

Delay in early decision of references undoing the core objective behind the NAB law, he remarked.

The court summoned the Attorney General, Prosecutor General NAB and the Federal Secretary Law in the next hearing of the case.

The bench also called recommendations from the Chairman NAB for early decision on the pending accountability references.