News
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Implementation of NRO verdict: SC summons Babar Awan* Court says responsible govt functionary should appear and inform it about steps taken for NRO verdict implementation
Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Friday summoned Law Minister Babar Awan on May 25 to brief the court on the implementation of its December 16, 2009 verdict on the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO).
A five-member larger bench of the SC – consisting of Justice Nasirul Mulk, Justice Raja Fayyaz Ahmed, Justice Jawwad S Khawaja, Justice Rahmat Hussain Jafferi and Justice Tariq Parvez – passed the order while conducting suo motu hearing of the matter.
Attorney General Justice (r) Moulvi Anwarul Haq informed the bench that the law secretary had resigned and as the resignation had been accepted, he could not appear before the court.
Justice Nasirul Mulk observed that the time had come for the law minister to appear in court and brief it about the steps taken so far for the implementation of the NRO verdict.
He observed that the National Accountability Bureau had been changing its stance before the court in the matter, therefore, the law minister should come and explain the actual status of the case.
NAB Prosecutor General Irfan Qadir intervened, requesting the court to hear his submission, saying “if the bench listens to me, there will be no need to summon the law minister”.
Justice Nasirul Mulk said there was no need to listen to the NAB official in the presence of the attorney general, who was a due representative of the government.
Earlier, the SC summoned the law secretary and the NAB chairman after the law secretary said in his report on April 4 that the issue of Swiss cases was done with. During Friday’s hearing, Attorney General Anwarul Haq informed the court that the former law secretary was ill and could not appear before the court.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk