Evidence weak against PM, Pak anti-graft body tells SC
18 Jan 2013 5:46 AM IST
Pakistan's anti-graft body NAB's chief on Thursday told the Supreme Court that the evidence in a corruption case involving Premier Raja Pervez Ashraf was weak and unlikely to lead to conviction, a statement that irked the top court which directed him to submit to it all records of the investigation.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has adjourned a case alleging corruption by him till 23 January.
National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman Fasih Bokhari's statement came two days after the apex court directed the anti-corruption agency to arrest the Prime Minister and more than 20 other suspects in connection with alleged graft in the rental power projects.
Appearing before a three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry, Bokhari said an investigation report on alleged corruption in rental power projects, submitted earlier to the apex court, was inaccurate. Bokhari said the evidence gathered so far by NAB investigators was weak and that the allegation about the power projects causing losses to the national exchequer had not been proved. The investigation officers had worked in a hurry and did not provide adequate proof in their reports, he said. If a case is filed on the basis of the investigations done so far, the suspects will be acquitted, he added.
Bokhari's remarks angered the bench, which said the stand taken by the NAB did not reflect the reality.
The Chief Justice directed Bokhari and other NAB officials to submit all records of their investigation so far to the Supreme Court.
NAB Prosecutor K K Agha argued that the apex court could not see the agency's investigation records, but the bench maintained that the records should be submitted on Thursday.
NAB officials said the records were with an official in Rawalpindi and would be submitted to the Supreme Court's Registrar.
Chief Justice Chaudhry remarked that some persons involved in the rental power projects case seemed to think they were ‘above the law’ and made it clear that the apex court was determined to take action in the matter.
Officials and federal ministers have already said that Premier Ashraf is unlikely to be arrested soon as several procedures will have to be completed before an arrest warrant can be issued.
REHMAN MALIK COMPARES QADRI TO POPE, DRAWS IRE OF MINORITY COMMUNITY
Pakistan Interior Minister Rehman Malik has compared firebrand cleric Tahir-ul-Qadri to the Pope while ridiculing him for wearing a similar headgear, earning the wrath of the country’s Christians who demanded an apology from him for his ‘provocative’ remarks.
‘The Pope has a larger hat, Tahir-ul-Qadri’s hat is smaller. Please ask him why he’s acting like a semi-Pope,’ Malik told reporters earlier this week, shortly before the cleric marched into Islamabad with thousands of supporters to launch a protest aimed at pressuring the government to quit and dissolve the national and provincial assemblies.
On another occasion, Malik said Qadri’s clothes made him look like a ‘Jewish padre.’ Strongly reacting to his remarks, Father Emmanuel Yousaf Mani, Director of the National Commission for Justice and Peace and a senior priest of the Catholic Church, asked Malik to withdraw his statement ‘drawing a parallel between the Holy Father and Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri.’
QADRI PROTEST ENDS WITH A WHIMPER
Pakistan’s fiery cleric Tahir-ul-Qadri on Thursday announced that an agreement has been struck with the government to end his four-day protests that had increased pressure on the country’s fragile coalition government.After five hours of talks with a 10-member team of federal ministers and leaders of parties in the Pakistan People’s Party-led government, Qadri told his supporters that the two sides had finalised an ‘Islamabad Long March Declaration’. Qadri said the document would be read out.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has adjourned a case alleging corruption by him till 23 January.
National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman Fasih Bokhari's statement came two days after the apex court directed the anti-corruption agency to arrest the Prime Minister and more than 20 other suspects in connection with alleged graft in the rental power projects.
Appearing before a three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry, Bokhari said an investigation report on alleged corruption in rental power projects, submitted earlier to the apex court, was inaccurate. Bokhari said the evidence gathered so far by NAB investigators was weak and that the allegation about the power projects causing losses to the national exchequer had not been proved. The investigation officers had worked in a hurry and did not provide adequate proof in their reports, he said. If a case is filed on the basis of the investigations done so far, the suspects will be acquitted, he added.
Bokhari's remarks angered the bench, which said the stand taken by the NAB did not reflect the reality.
The Chief Justice directed Bokhari and other NAB officials to submit all records of their investigation so far to the Supreme Court.
NAB Prosecutor K K Agha argued that the apex court could not see the agency's investigation records, but the bench maintained that the records should be submitted on Thursday.
NAB officials said the records were with an official in Rawalpindi and would be submitted to the Supreme Court's Registrar.
Chief Justice Chaudhry remarked that some persons involved in the rental power projects case seemed to think they were ‘above the law’ and made it clear that the apex court was determined to take action in the matter.
Officials and federal ministers have already said that Premier Ashraf is unlikely to be arrested soon as several procedures will have to be completed before an arrest warrant can be issued.
REHMAN MALIK COMPARES QADRI TO POPE, DRAWS IRE OF MINORITY COMMUNITY
Pakistan Interior Minister Rehman Malik has compared firebrand cleric Tahir-ul-Qadri to the Pope while ridiculing him for wearing a similar headgear, earning the wrath of the country’s Christians who demanded an apology from him for his ‘provocative’ remarks.
‘The Pope has a larger hat, Tahir-ul-Qadri’s hat is smaller. Please ask him why he’s acting like a semi-Pope,’ Malik told reporters earlier this week, shortly before the cleric marched into Islamabad with thousands of supporters to launch a protest aimed at pressuring the government to quit and dissolve the national and provincial assemblies.
On another occasion, Malik said Qadri’s clothes made him look like a ‘Jewish padre.’ Strongly reacting to his remarks, Father Emmanuel Yousaf Mani, Director of the National Commission for Justice and Peace and a senior priest of the Catholic Church, asked Malik to withdraw his statement ‘drawing a parallel between the Holy Father and Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri.’
QADRI PROTEST ENDS WITH A WHIMPER
Pakistan’s fiery cleric Tahir-ul-Qadri on Thursday announced that an agreement has been struck with the government to end his four-day protests that had increased pressure on the country’s fragile coalition government.After five hours of talks with a 10-member team of federal ministers and leaders of parties in the Pakistan People’s Party-led government, Qadri told his supporters that the two sides had finalised an ‘Islamabad Long March Declaration’. Qadri said the document would be read out.
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