Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry has expressed displeasure over National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) failure to file references against Ahmad Riaz Sheikh and Adnan Khawaja.
A three-member bench of the Supreme Court (SC) headed by the CJP took up the NRO implementation case for hearing on Friday.
Ibrahim Satti and other lawyers appeared before the court on behalf of the accused.
At the inception of hearing, NAB Prosecutor General KK Agha appeared in court and took the plea that NAB was reviewing the matter if any justification existed to initiate proceedings against the persons with respect to whom the court had ordered to file reference. “It is a technical matter,” he added.
The CJP inquired why NAB had not filed reference against these persons.
KK Agha said Adnan Khawaja was appointed in OGDCL and Ahmad Riaz Sheikh was appointed as additional DG in FIA.
Ibrahim Satti said NAB filed reference against Ahsan Raja instead of Ahmad Riaz Sheikh and Adnan Khawaja. “Qamarul Zaman was also suspended.”
“During this time, Raja was assigned temporary charge. NAB also did not file reference against former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, as the real power to make these appointments rested with him,” he said.
The CJP observed, “We will have to see summary worked out by Qamarul Zaman and then the matter will become clear”.
The court summoned the summary evolved by former establishment secretary Qamarul Zaman with reference to appointment of Ahmad Riaz Sheikh and Adnan Khawaja on May 31 and adjourned the hearing.
