The Supreme Court on Wednesday reserved its verdict on a petition challenging the appointment of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Deputy Chairman Javed Zia Qazi as the bureau’s acting chairman.
A three-member Supreme Court bench of Justice Javed Iqbal, Justice Khilji Arif Hussain and Justice Asif Saeed Khosa was hearing the petition against Javed Zia Qazi appointment. During the hearing, Justice Javed Iqbal observed that NAB had been ruined, as it was functioning without a chairman or a prosecutor general. Justice Asif Saeed Khosa said it was better to shut NAB down, adding that they could not close their eyes on such matters.
He observed that prima facie, NAB was functioning illegally and the NAB deputy chairman had no authority to withdraw a reference against any accused. The court expressed its concern over the situation prevalent in NAB and directed the attorney general to ask the government to appoint the NAB chairman and prosecutor general at the earliest. The court also observed that if powers were transferred to lower officers of NAB, it would raise questions about the eligibility of the NAB chairman.
Waseem Sajjad, lawyer for the NAB deputy chairman, pleaded that the petition was not maintainable as NAB was running well, therefore, the court should not stop its functioning. Justice Javed Iqbal questioned how could NAB’s deputy chairman withdrew a reference against the Civil Aviation. Attorney General Maulvi Anwarul Haq submitted that the reference against the Civil Aviation had been withdrawn by the former NAB chairman. However, the court observed that it would deliver its verdict in view of the present situation in NAB.
