ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Wednesday decided to challenge the Islamabad High Court’s (IHC) verdict declaring that the anti-graft watchdog’s powers were against basic human rights.
According to the NAB spokesperson, the anti-graft agency has decided to approach the Supreme Court against IHC’s verdict.
Earlier, a single bench of IHC comprising Chief Justice Athar Minallah had termed “absolute” powers of the NAB chairman to issue arrest warrants contrary to the fundamental human rights.
The judgement stated that, “Mere allegations of misuse of authority would not justify depriving an accused of liberty because an irregularity or wrong decision sans criminal intent, mens rea and illegal gain or benefit does not attract the offences.
The power of arrest under the Ordinance of 1999 cannot be exercised in an indiscriminate, reckless or wanton manner, because there are conflicting fundamental rights guaranteed under the Constitution which cannot be ignored.”
