ISLAMABAD – The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday issued notices to the chairmen of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and National Assembly’s Public Account Committee (PAC) besides Secretary Finance on a petition filed by a former president of Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Bank.
Tahir Abbasi through his lawyer pleaded before a division bench, headed by Chief Justice IHC Iqbal Hameed-ur-Rehman, that the NAB had registered a reference against him in 2002, charging him of favouring his son’s financial institution. The petitioner told the court that the case was disposed of after he and his son made a plea-bargain deal with the NAB in 2005 and paid Rs140 million.
But, the petitioner pleaded, that during a PAC meeting held on January 19, its chairman Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan directed the Interior Ministry for placing his name on the exit control list (ECL) and registration of an FIR against him, adding that the PAC also asked all financial firms not to offer job to Tahir Abbasi.
He prayed the court for order cancellation of the directives passed by the committee. After hearing the arguments, the judge issued notice to Chairman PAC Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Chairman NAB Syed Deedar Shah and Secretary Finance Dr Waqar Masood Khan and adjourned the hearing for an indefinite period.
