NAB chairman bans transfers, postings following SC orders

By Muhammad JuniadPublished On 06 Jan 2023

In light of the orders of the Supreme Court, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Friday banned all postings and transfers in the anti-graft watchdog.

A statement issued by the bureau said that the bureau’s chairman Justice (Retired) Javed Iqbal, had halted all transfers and postings immediately. It added that the bureau was implementing the orders of the Supreme Court to halt transfers and that it was putting on pause all recent transfers and postings as well.

NAB chairman further directed all regional bureaus to comply with the orders of the Supreme Court in true spirit.

SC bans transfers, postings in prosecution bodies

A larger bench of the Supreme Court of Pakistan had on Thursday barred the Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) prosecution branch from withdrawing any cases and ordered that no transfers or postings should be made in the agency as well as in NAB until further orders by the court.

The court had demanded an explanation over transfers and postings and changes in NAB and FIA affected in the recent past.

Earlier, Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Umar Ata Bandial took suo moto notice of ‘perceived interference’ from the incumbent government into the prosecution of high-profile cases, including ‘persons of authority.

The chief justice also took note of newspaper clippings which indicated that thousands of names had been removed from the Exit Control List (ECL) and at least 3,000 people had benefitted after the ECL rules were modified.