NAB fully dysfunctional, nonexistent: SC

The court said this while rejecting presence of NAB counsel in court in the Ghani-ur-Rehman assets case.The Apex Court expressed grave concern over non-induction of NAB Chairman and Prosecutor General, maintaining NAB stands now fully dysfunctional and it does not exist now.A 3-member bench of SC presided over by Justice Tassadaq Hussain Jillani took up the petitions pertaining to frozen assets of former minister of Khyber Pakhtoonkhawa for hearing Tuesday.Deputy Prosecutor General NAB Rana Asghar appeared in the court during the course of hearing of the case.Justice Asif Khosa inquired from him under whose permission he was appearing in the court as NAB has become dysfunctional due to absence of chairman NAB.Rana Asghar told the court that he was appearing under the directives of Director General NAB.Justice Asif Saeed Khosa remarked that he (NAB counsel) was not authorised to do so. “Institutions are run on the hard earned money of people. Why your salaries are not stopped? Government had sought one month time but Chairman NAB and Prosecutor General NAB had not been appointed despite lapse of the given time. Investigation by NAB into corruption cases is also substandard; therefore, no arrested accused had been convicted. All the accused persons would be acquitted if inquiry officers would be like that of defunct NAB,” he further remarked.The court maintained, under anti-terrorism laws, if accused person is exonerated due to wrong investigation then punishment is awarded to investigation officer. If such law does exist in NAB, he inquired. Benefit would go to the accused if investigation was conducted in wrong direction.Deputy Prosecutor NAB Rana Asghar told the court assets of Ghani-ur-Rehman could not be returned. The court said: “You cannot even appear. NAB has become dysfunctional.”The SC granted the appeal pleas of family members of Ghani-ur-Rehman, set aside the trial court decision and restore all frozen assets.