After the recent Supreme Court ruling on amendments to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) laws, an estimated 2,000 corruption cases, spanning from initial reference to inquiry and investigation stages, are anticipated to be reopened, as per a report by a private news agency.
A three-member bench led by outgoing Chief Justice Umar Bandia, with a 2-1 majority, invalidated certain changes made to the National Accountability Ordinance (NAO) 1999 by the prior coalition government, deeming it inconsistent with public interest rights enshrined in the Constitution.
Former Prime Minister Imran Khan had contested the alterations made to the accountability laws.
In the wake of the apex court's decision, a range of cases is poised for reinstatement. These include proceedings involving former president Asif Ali Zardari, six former prime ministers — Nawaz Sharif, Shaukat Aziz, Yousuf Raza Gillani, Raja Pervez Ashraf, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, and Shehbaz Sharif — as well as former finance minister Ishaq Dar.
The Toshakhana references will be reopened against Zardari, Nawaz, and Gillani, while the LNG references are reinstated against Abbasi and the rental power reference against Ashraf. These references were all transferred from the accountability court.
Out of the 2,000 cases set for restoration, sources indicate that 755 cases were at the inquiry stage, and 292 were at the investigation stage. Approximately 510 cases involve sums less than Rs500 million, and 168 cases relate to assets with sources of income beyond public knowledge.
Furthermore, 213 cases are reinstated under Section 9A, while 89 cases pertain to fraudulent activities.
NAB is currently awaiting the detailed judgment, and its prosecution division is diligently assembling the data, which will be presented to the chairman upon completion.
Sources also note that there is a legal complication arising from the absence of a head for NAB's prosecution branch, following the resignation of Justice (retd) Syed Asghar Haider as prosecutor general accountability. So far, a successor has not been appointed.
Additionally, it has been reported that NAB Balochistan had already proposed to NAB headquarters the closure of an inquiry against Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar ul Haq Kakar, citing insufficient evidence, several months ago. Formal endorsement for the closure of the inquiry was sought from NAB headquarters, as per sources."
