IHC Extends Restraining Order To PAC From Taking Action Against DG NAB.

ISLAMABAD -- The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday extended its restraining order to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) from taking any 'coercive measure' against Director General (DG) NAB Lahore Maj (Retd) Shahzad Saleem in the matter of sexual harassment.

A single bench of IHC comprising Acting Chief Justice of IHC Justice Aamer Farooq conducted hearing of the petition and also issued notices to the respondents including Secretary National Assembly and PAC and sought their arguments over the maintainability of the petition moved by DG (NAB) Lahore against the summons issued to him by the PAC to answer sexual harassment charges against him as well as former NAB chairman Justice (Retd) Javed Iqbal by a woman Tayyaba Gul.

During the hearing, the IHC bench said that there was no problem if the PAC summoned the petitioner in matter pertaining to the accounts. It observed that the PAC could only proceed in cases which fall under the 'domain of finance'. He said that the question was that whether the PAC was authorised to hear such matters other than the accounts.

Deputy Attorney General (DAG) Arshad Kayani said that the PAC could hear any complaint regarding the public interest. At this, Justice Aamer remarked that the PAC could hear only the finance matters in public domain. He further said that every institution whether it is Parliament or judiciary has its own respect.

Then, the DAG requested the court to grant permission to present the minutes of the last PAC meeting and requested the court to view the answers submitted by the petitioners to PAC.

At this juncture, the DG NAB's counsel argued that his client had no hesitation to appear before the PAC. The court said that there is no problem if NAB officials are called in finance related cases but when there is an issue of jurisdiction, the court has to monitor it.

Later, the IHC bench sought arguments from the respondents and adjourned the hearing till August 11 for further proceedings.

In this matter, the DG NAB moved the IHC through his counsel Safdar Shaheen Pirzada Advocate and cited federation through Secretary National Assembly (NA), Chairman Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Secretary PAC and additional secretary PAC as respondents and requested the court to declare the notice issued to as illegal.

The petitioner stated that the PAC issued an office memorandum whereby it was intimated that a meeting of the PAC is scheduled to be held on 07.07.2022 to discuss the agenda of...

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