ISLAMABAD: As the proposed Chairman of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) of Pakistan, Chaudhry Qamar Zaman is expected to take the charge by next week, the NAB hierarchy is finalising a presentation for him about old political cases and scams on which his (chairman’s) approval is needed for the perusal of the courts.
According to sources, with the announcement of agreement between Prime Minister Mian Nawaz Sharif and Opposition Leader in the National Assembly, Syed Khursheed Shah, on the name of Zaman to head the country’s accountability forum, NAB has started to update the presentation for the new chairman so that to move ahead with the scams that were kept in NAB cupboards in a wait for the chairman nod to take into the courts.
“The final touches were given to the presentation that would be given to the new chairman once he assume the charge,” the NAB sources said.
They said all cases initiated by the last chairman as well as fresh ones initiated by directors general, who have been empowered through notifications, are under process, and these include more than 600 inquiries, 250 investigations and over 600 cases under trial. The sources said one of the major decision the new chairman has to take includes to decide the opening of the cases against former President Asif Ali Zardari that were closed under the NRO, cases against the Sharif brothers which were stayed by the courts, and the chairman has to take a decision to pursue to vacate the stay orders from courts.
The other major cases that needs his utmost attention includes the filing of the supplementary references in multi-billion rupees Ogra scam and rental power plans scams on which NAB has completed the investigations and yet waiting for the NAB chairman for the logical conclusion in the courts.
According to NAB officials, the absence of chairman does impede NAB’s functioning, when it comes to issuing arrest warrants of higher grade officials/individuals and/or initiating fresh cases by the Headquarters.
NAB has issued notices to former Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani thrice to appear before the NAB investigating team to record his statement on the appointment of Tauqeer Sadiq as a chairman, but he did not appear before the investigating team. internews
