The Supreme Court (SC) Monday threw out the petition, seeking contempt of court proceedings against National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman Justice (R) Javed Iqbal saying it was inadmissible for hearing, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

A three-member bench of the apex court, led by Justice Umar Ata Bandial, heard the petition.

Advocate Ahsan Abid had filed the petition for not completing the inquiry against Federal Minister Khusro Bakhtiar.

Advocate Abid had stated in his petition that the NAB had given a statement in the Lahore High Court (LHC) in May 2020 that it had completed the inquiry in a case against the minister.

“Truth of the matter is that it did not complete the inquiry. And by not completing it in three-month stipulated time period, the bureau chairman committed contempt of court,” the petitioner added.

Justice Mazhar Alam Miankhel asked the petitioner as to under which law a person or an organisation could be held guilty of contempt of court in case of leaving an inquiry unfinished.

Justice Qazi Ameen reminded Advocate Abid that the LHC, in its verdict, had itself said that no contempt had been committed. “And when the court had itself stated that no such thing had happened, how could the SC declare it so?” he asked.

Speaking on the occasion, Deputy Prosecutor NAB Imranul Haq said that the bureau’s Lahore office had completed the probe against the federal minister and sent its report to the anti-corruption watchdog’s headquarters. “Decision on the report will be taken at the Executive Board’s meeting,” he told the court.

Reporter: Amanat Raza Gishkori