Chakwal cement factories case: Time to disinter, try wrongdoers, says CJP

ISLAMABAD: The Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP), Mian Saqib Nisar, on Monday said the time had come to disinter and try those responsible for exposing the country to the current difficult situation.

The top judge gave this observation when a three-member bench resumed hearing into issuance of No Objection Certificates (NOCs) to the cement factories in Chakwal.

Observing that these NOCs were illegal, the chief justice said action will be taken against all those involved in the scandal whether they were government officials or politicians. He said the accounts opened during his tenure won’t close even after his retirement.

Additional Advocate General Punjab told the court that the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) had submitted its report in the case, mentioning that NOCs for cement factories were issued against the law. He said former bureaucrats and local politicians were involved in the scam.

According to the report, politician Sardar Ghulam Abbas, Sajid Hussain, Irshad Ali Khokhar, Azam Salim and others were involved in issuance of illegal NOCs. The CJP ordered the ACE to take action against the nominated people.