ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly on Thursday referred the case of Justice Mazahar Ali Naqvi, who is facing allegations of keeping assets beyond means, to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) with the directive to come up with a report within 15 days containing details of the properties owned by the Supreme Court judge and the tax paid by him.

Deputy Speaker Zahid Akram Durrani referred the matter to the powerful arm of parliament on the demand of Minister for Economic Affairs Sardar Ayaz Sadiq. The PML-N leader had raised the issue on a point of order during the Question Hour as lawmakers continued their assault on the superior court judges in the wake of ongoing executive-judiciary tussle over the issue of elections to the Punjab Assembly.

Having no serious business to do and in an apparent effort to drag the proceedings, the deputy speaker provided free time to members to speak on any subject on points of order.

Taking the floor, Mr Sadiq said various bar councils had filed references to the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) against Justice Naqvi, adding that such allegations were tarnishing the image of judiciary.

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Mr Sadiq, who served as speaker of the National Assembly under the previous PML-N government, said PAC should seek assistance from the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and the Accountant General Pakistan Revenue to probe the matter.

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He said the investigation must find out sources of the judge’s income “to purchase a plot worth over Rs100 million and carrying out construction on it”. Besides conducting special audit of the matter, he added, the FBR should be asked to also provide details of taxes paid by the judge.

The minister said it was unfortunate that people were pointing fingers at the judges of superior courts because of such allegations, adding the proposed investigation would provide an opportunity to the judge to come clean on the matter.

The deputy speaker immediately referred the matter to the PAC for investigation and audit under Rule 199 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the National Assembly 2007 with the directive to complete the task within 15 days.

Rule 199 titled ‘Reference to Standing Committee’ reads: “Except as otherwise provided in these rules, the Assembly or the Speaker may remit to the standing committee any subject or matter with which it is concerned and the standing committee shall study such subject or matter with a view to suggest legislation or making recommendations to the Assembly.”

Four references are pending against Justice Naqvi before the SJC in which he has been accused of “misconduct”, “misuse of authority” and for keeping the assets beyond known sources of income. One of the complaints also mentioned a number of audio clips, including the one featuring conversation between the judge and former Punjab chief minister Chaudhry Parvez Elahi pointing out that the tone of conversation reflected a rather intimate and close relationship between the two.

As many as 17 members spoke on points of order during more than two-hour proceedings and some of them even got the opportunity to speak more than once. Besides lashing out at the judges, the legislators raised a host of issues, including the ongoing digital census and increase in the gas meter rent charges.

Maulana Abdul Akbar Chitrali of Jamaat-i-Islami and independent MNA Ali Wazir expressed serious concerns over the alleged anomalies in the ongoing census in the country, particularly in Karachi.

Chairman of the Special Committee on Affected Employees Qadir Mandokhel of PPP once again complained that ministries were not implementing the committee’s directives. He especially mentioned the ministries of aviation, railways and information in this regard.

The National Assembly will now meet on Monday afternoon (May 8).

Published in Dawn, May 5th, 2023