LAHORE – Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar on Saturday barred civil servants of Punjab from protests against the arrest of former LDA director general Ahad Cheema by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in Ashiana Housing Scandal.
Hearing a suo motu case on various public welfare issues, the CJP remarked that any wanted to resign should go home. He ordered that the bureaucrats will not close their office in protest, adding that the NAB should not harass anyone.
Cheema was arrested on Wednesday following the charges of misusing his authority while being in office. The corruption charges say the ex-DG awarded a contract of the Ashiana-e-Iqbal project worth approximately Rs14 billion to Lahore Casa Developers with criminal intentions. He is also accused of receiving the bribe in the form of a 32-Kanal land valuing Rs30.09 million from the owners of Paragon City (Pvt) Ltd. He has been remanded into NAB’s custody for interrogation.
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The District Management Group (DMG) of officers, last month, locked their office in order to express solidarity with their detained fellow.
Slamming the resolution passed by the Punjab Assembly against NAB and arrest of Cheema, the chief justice wondered how a resolution was approved in the provincial assembly. In such way, a resolution can be sailed through the assembly against the apex court over issuing summons to people, he remarked.
The Punjab Assembly passed on Wednesday a resolution against the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), also demanding to repeal the plea bargain law.
Demanding elimination of plea bargain law from NAB laws, the resolution said that the accountability bureau is violating basic human rights.
“NAB not only arrested, harassed a senior government official but is also involved in character assassination. NAB law contradicts human rights and dignity,” the resolution read.
The resolution, presented by Law Minister Rana Sanaullah and passed with a majority, calls for ending the ‘plea-bargain’ clause in the NAB Ordinance.
During the hearing, the apex court summoned the complete record regarding the arrest and perks and privileges of the senior Punjab bureaucrat, who currently heads the Quaid-e-Azam Power Plant.
Moreover, the apex court while hearing LDA city case also summoned the record of Paragon City housing society.
