ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has transferred 161 high-profile cases to the Anti-Corruption Department following recent amendments to the NAB laws upheld by the Supreme Court.
These cases involve officers from several key departments, including the Karachi Development Authority (KDA), Malir Development Authority (MDA), Board of Revenue, Department of Agriculture, Irrigation Department, Works and Services Department, School Education Department, and the Excise Department. Also implicated are officers from the Public Health Engineering Department, Health Department, Local Government Department, Sindh Solid Waste Management Board, and Sindh Building Control Authority.
The Anti-Corruption Department will now oversee these investigations. The transfer follows the Supreme Court’s decision to restore the NAB amendments, leading the bureau to hand over these cases to the provincial authorities.
The Anti-Corruption Department has begun its work by requesting records from the relevant departments and will soon issue notices to the officers involved.
In related news, on September 7, former Prime Minister Imran Khan sought relief in the 190-million-pound case following the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the NAB amendments. This petition marks the first attempt by the PTI founder to secure acquittal through his legal team in response to allegations of financial misconduct.
Read Also: Supreme Court Restores NAB Law Amendments
The Supreme Court restored the amendments to the NAB law on September 6, overturning a prior decision that had invalidated them. The verdict, delivered by a five-member bench led by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa, upheld the federal government’s appeal. The court ruled unanimously that Imran Khan did not demonstrate that the NAB amendments were unconstitutional, emphasizing the need for constitutional institutions to respect each other’s roles.
The Chief Justice’s ruling noted, “The chief justice and Supreme Court judges are not the gatekeepers of parliament.”
