PTI hopes NAB won’t be used for political engineering

ISLAMABAD: The major Supreme Court verdict on Friday on the amendments made to the National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) laws created a stir in political circles as it restored the corruption cases against political bigwigs.

A three-member bench — headed by outgoing Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial, and comprising Justice Mansoor Ali Shah and Justice Ijazul Ahsan — in a majority 2-1 verdict approved Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s petition challenging the passage of NAB amendments by the previous Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM)-led government. While reacting to the development, PTI lawyer Shoaib Shaheen hoped that NAB would not be used for political engineering. “Even today, NAB is being used against the PTI chairman. It is hoped that NAB will not be used for political engineering,” he said.

The lawyer, who is part of Khan’s legal team, said that the PDM government made NAB amendments as soon as it came into power. “An attempt was made to get rid of the cases of Maqsood Chaprasi and papad walas. Now all those cases will be resumed and will continue from where they stopped,” he added. He claimed that several modifications were made to the NAB law with the aim of taking advantage of it.

“The amendments were prepared by the Sharif family’s personal lawyers,” he said. PTI spokesperson Raoof Hasan said the verdict has placed the criminal clan of “Sharifs, Zardaris, Gillanis” back in the dock.

“SC annuls the self-serving NAB amendments with a majority of 2 to 1 thus reinstating all cases in relevant courts of law against these looters & plunderers of national wealth,” he wrote, taking to X. “One hopes that he would stand on the side of justice & hold this bunch of criminals to account for grave travesties they committed through their tenures in power,” he wrote.

Raoof added that delivering justice is a fundamental prerequisite to helping the country move forward. “Pakistan needs it more today than ever before.”

Later, in a statement, the PTI welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision, saying that the landmark decision delivered by the apex court has restored supremacy of the Constitution. The party spokesperson claimed that the stance of the PTI and its chairman Imran Khan proved right with the decision. He said these pubic office holders ‘dry-cleaned’ themselves under NRO-2 after having been imposed on the nation through a ‘regime change conspiracy’.

“The decision of the top court is not the victory of PTI chairman, but it’s the victory of truth and justice. The PTI fully supports and endorses the landmark judgment of the country’s highest court,” he remarked.

He contended that the apex court’s ruling testified the fact that the NAB amendments were in conflict with the Constitution and fundamental human rights.

The PTI spokesman said that as soon as the PDM “seized the power through conspiracy”, they exploited NAB to the fullest and used the institution for their vested political mileage and reduced the accountability bureau to a puppet institution.

He insisted that the top court made it clear that only the Pakistani people have the right on the looted national wealth of Sharif and Zardari mafias. The PTI spokesperson said that in the light of the apex court’s ruling, the criminals involved in loot and plunder of billions of rupees would be held accountable.

He demanded that those who fled the country after securing NRO-2 should be brought back immediately and they should be made answerable for their massive corruption. He urged that NAB should play its due constitutional role and start afresh investigation on the restored references and all the facts and details of those who steal the nation’s money and build properties abroad should be brought before the nation.

PMLN leader and former interior minister Rana Sanaullah said that he hasn’t read the SC’s written verdict yet. “The Supreme Court’s controversial bench gave a controversial verdict,” he said, adding that the chief justice who is about to retire has caused the most harm to the institution of judiciary.

Sanaullah said that the PMLN leaders have faced the inquires in their respective cases.

“Nearly 13 cases are registered against the PTI chairman. He should face the inquiries and have a taste of it. Let’s see how he [Imran Khan] gets scores of bails,” he added.

The politician said that he was of the view that the “unkind” law of NAB should not be abolished because PMLN leaders have borne the brunt of it.

“Now the PTI and its chief may celebrate the old NAB law,” he said, adding that the deposed prime minister would have to undergo 90 days remands and won’t even get bail in the cases he is facing.

He said that the PTI would not be able to say that they are being “politically victimised”. He further said that Nawaz’s legal team is looking into the matter, he will return like a “free citizen” of Pakistan and acquire protective bails. PMLN supremo’s return date is final, he added.

Meanwhile, consultations within the PMLN started on the Supreme Court decision. Nawaz Sharif chaired a meeting in which legal points were discussed. After the meeting, PMLN leader Ata Tarar told media: “Umar Ata Bandial has made an effort to please Ladla, and it doesn’t matter to us. PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that even though he had not read the verdict, his party was expecting such decision.

“We have this position that NAB is an institution created by a dictator and it should be closed,” Bilawal said. He added that his party had seen multiple graft cases and is ready to face them again be it based on the new or old laws. Sheikh Rashid, who is a close aide of Imran Khan, said that Justice Bandial, who is to retire as the country’s top judge on September 16, has “hit a great sixer on the last ball of his last innings”. “A thief can never become a security guard; he will remain a thief,” Rashid said, adding that the leaders of the former government tried hard to close their cases for the last 16 months.