LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Tuesday issued a notice to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on a petition seeking contempt proceedings against them for not completing the inquiries into alleged illegal assets of federal minister Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar and his brother provincial finance minister Makhdoom Hashim Jawan Bakht within three months as committed by them before the court.

In May last, the court had disposed of a petition questioning transfer of the inquiries from Multan to Lahore after the NAB assured it that the inquiries would be concluded within three months.

However, petitioner Ahsan Abid now filed a contempt petition seeking action against the chairman of the NAB and its Lahore’s director general for failing to fulfil the commitment made before the court.

Representing the petitioner, Advocate Aftab Ahmad Bajwa told a division bench that the NAB was previously directed to file a report after completing the inquiries within three months. He said the respondents were liable to be proceeded against under the contempt of court law.

The bench comprising Justice Sardar Ahmad Naeem and Justice Farooq Haider issued notices to the NAB authorities and sought their replies by Sept 30.

MNA: The Lahore High Court on Tuesday disposed of the pre-arrest bail petition of PML-N MNA Barjees Tahir in assets beyond means inquiry after the NAB said no warrant for the arrest of the petitioner was in field so far.

Asked about the status of the inquiry, a special prosecutor of the bureau said the progress was marred due to the Covid-related situation.

The bench expressed its surprise as the prosecutor said the NAB also awaited response to its reminders from some departments. “When did the NAB start writing reminders?” the bench asked the prosecutor.

The prosecutor sought two months to complete the inquiry and submit a report.

In light of the prosecutor’s statement, the bench disposed of the petition.

Mr Tahir, also a former federal minister, said in his petition that the NAB had already closed the impugned inquiry against him in 2003. However, he said, the bureau again issued him a call-up notice in 2019 to appear in the same inquiry.

He said the NAB unlawfully converted a complaint into an investigation against him and there were apprehensions of his arrest.

Published in Dawn, September 9th, 2020