The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday issued notices to the federal government and National Accountability Bureau (NAB), seeking their replies within three weeks on a plea filed against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for issuing a warning to the Bureau chairman.
Justice Shahid Waheed heard the petition filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawyer Gohar Nawaz Sindhu in which he alleged that the prime minister had, by issuing a “warning” to the NAB chairman during his address, tried to influence the institution.
The petitioner alleged that the prime minister had tried to prejudice the bureau’s investigation in several mega corruption cases by passing critical comments which, according to him, amounted to stopping the anti-corruption body from probing “certain cases”.
The counsel pleaded that the prime minister should be directed not to interfere in the affairs of NAB which was an independent institution and had the powers to hold investigation against any person involved in corrupt practices.
PM Sharif had, while addressing Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) workers in Bahawalpur last week, said the NAB was harassing government officers and it needed to reconsider its limits and approach of action. He had asked the NAB chairman to take notice of the affairs or the government would take legal action in this respect.
