Supreme Court’s Justice Sardar Tariq has questioned the impartiality of the National Accountability Bureau saying the authorities usually give cases of corruption of their opponents to the anti-graft body, reported 24NewsHD TV channel. 

The judge expressed these remarks while hearing a post-arrest bail application of PPP leader Khursheed Shah who has been languishing in jail for almost two years in a NAB reference against him on abuse of power.

The apex court has also summoned two wives of Mr Shah and his son Farrukh Shah tomorrow. The court also ordered Sindh Transport Minister Awais Qadir Shah and other accused in the case to appear before it. 

Justice Tariq ordered that all accused who had got bail cancellation notices should attend the hearing tomorrow.

Mr Shah’s counsel Makhdoom Ali Khan said that NAB found nothing against his petitioner. He was of the view that NAB should get permission from the court before launching a probe against his client.

Justice Tariq remarked that with the change in governments, NAB’s attitude also changed. He said NAB did not stop appealing in common ‘Patwaris’ cases. He lamented ‘those who are opponents of authorities, the authorities got them entangled in NAB references’.

The SC justice said ‘we all know how much NAB is impartial’.

Justice Tariq said that bails in NAB cases could only be granted if the point of hardship was raised in the high court as it could not be raised in the Supreme Court. 

The judge asked counsel Makhdoom whether he had raised hardship point in the high court?

The counsel said the point of hardship was not raised in the high court as the arrest period of Mr Shah was less than two years at the time of their case hearing in the high court. He said the two years period of Mr Shah in jail would be completed in September this year.

The counsel said that NAB failed to prove any charge of abuse of power against Mr Shah. 

The judge remarked that the trial court could itself frame charges in the reference. 

The case was adjourned till tomorrow. 

Reporter Amanat Gishkori