LAHORE – The Chief Justice of Pakistan, Mian Saqib Nisar went hard on the director general of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for producing the former vice-chancellors of different universities while being handcuffed.
During the hearing of a suo moto notice on Saturday, the top judge took aim at the NAB official, Saleem Shehzad, directing him to tender apology publically before the nation.
‘Being handcuffed is tantamount to death for Dr Mujahid Kamran and other teachers,’ remarked the top judge while hearing the case at the Lahore Registry.
The chief justice inquired under which law the teachers were humiliated following which the NAB official replied that they tender unconditional apology over the move.
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‘If you are liable for the incident, I can order registration of a case against you so you may be produced in the same manner,’ observed the chief justice.
Mian Saqib Nisar remarked that the accountability watchdog did nothing except humiliating the public.
‘What is the performance of the NAB,’ wondered the top judge in a visible show of mistrust over the efficiency of the body.
As the proceedings went underway, the teary-eyed director general of NAB tried to clarify his position, however, the chief justice remarked that upon his turn, the official was weeping.
‘These [teachers] are the people who taught the children, however, they were handcuffed,’ remarked the chief justice and added that he had made a telephone call to the chairman of NAB after watching the video of the incident.
‘Tell us whether you want to work in this organization or not?,’ the chief justice pitched a point-blank question before the NAB DG.
The NAB officer replied that Dr Mujahid Kamran was handcuffed owing to security concerns adding that he himself had sought an apology from the teacher.
The chief justice directed the NAB officials to tender apology before the court as well, remarking that the court would look into the matter as to what could be done in this regard.
Dr Mujahid Kamran and four former registrars of the university – Dr Aurangzeb Alamgir, Dr Liaqat Ali, Dr Raas Masod, Dr Amin Ather and an additional registrar, Dr Kamran Abid – were produced before the court on Friday handcuffed in a case pertaining to over 500 illegal appointments in the varsity during their tenure.
The court granted ten-day physical remand of the officials to carry out further interrogation.
The NAB had initiated inquiry into the scam on the directions of the Lahore High Court after a complaint was moved by Muhammad Rafique Alvi, a former student of the university.
Presenting the varsity officials handcuffed also invited anger from the Supreme Court as Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar also took notice of the incident and ordered the DG NAB Lahore and DIG operations to appear before the court’s Lahore Registry.
