NAB Barred From Illegal Action Against Pervaiz
Lahore High Court has restrained the National Accountability Bureau from taking any illegal action against former Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf with regard to probe into bogus recruitment in Gujranwala Electric Power Company (GEPCO).
However, a two-judge bench headed by Justice Mahmood Maqbool Bajwa turned down a request of the ex-premier’s legal panel and did not set aside the NAB inquiry and the summons.
The bench observed that it could not set aside the proceedings of the Bureau’s inquiry into the scam as it would be against the requisites of justice.
The bench directed NAB-Punjab Director General to submit his reply to the allegations leveled by former Prime Minister in his petition within three weeks.
Earlier, Iftikhar Shahid and Jawad Ashraf, along with other lawyers, appeared before the bench to represent the petitioner.
The counsel argued that the NAB had been issuing summons to Mr Ashraf without furnishing details of the allegations.
Advocate Shahid said their client being Minister for Water and Power never influenced the appointments in the sector. He said the NAB was playing in the hands of PML-N leadership and subjecting PPP leaders to political victimization.
He asked the bench to set aside the impugned summons and restrain the NAB from subjecting the petitioner to harassment. He also asked the court to set aside the inquiry against former Prime Minister for being a revengeful action.
The NAB had already arrested Tahir Basharat Cheema, ex-MD PEPCO, Ibrahim Majoka, ex-CEO and Hashmat Ali Kazmi, former HR Director of GEPCO on allegations of ‘misuse of authority’.
They were on physical remand in NAB custody.
Mr Cheema had been undergoing treatment in the PIC for heart complications.
Previously published in DAWN and republished here with permission.
