ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) on Wednesday emphasised the need for legislative changes in the National Accountability Ordinance (NAO) as well as improved training modules of NAB officials to curb misuse of power by the anti-graft watchdog.

“The dignity and credibility of an institution which is responsible for accountability in the country should be up to the mark and must meet the highest standards set internationally for such like institutions of pivotal importance,” said Syed Qalb-i-Hassan, the president of the SCBA.

In a statement, he also expressed concern over procedures and mechanisms used by NAB authorities during proceedings conducted by them.

The SCBA president said that NAB was established for the purpose of curbing corruption and malpractices at the highest level and for establishing the rule of law across the board, but the procedure adopted by the bureau had raised questions in prudent minds of society about the methodology of arrest, inquiries, investigations and delayed trials.

The arrest of suspects without collection of evidence had become a norm and the trend of searching evidence for justifying the arrest had become the order of the day, regretted Mr Hassan.

Belated accusations, he said, against different people and inquiries spreading over years without their finalisation were against fundamental constitutional rights of the citizens.

The most important and fundamental rights, including the right to liberty, he said, were being compromised due to non-professional approach of officials of the bureau.

Therefore, he said, the SCBA wanted legislative changes and improved training modules for officials of the bureau to curb the practice of misuse of power and authority by them.

Published in Dawn, January 30th, 2020