Former chairman National Insurance Company Limited (NICL) Ayaz Khan Niazi was taken into custody in mega land scam by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) after the apex court's directive on Sunday that he should be dealt in accordance with the law.
Additional Prosecutor General Akbar Tarar informed the court that Ayaz Niazi was granted bail by the Special Judge Central Karachi, and not the Accountability Courts, Lahore and Karachi, where references against him in land scam were pending since 2014.
Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar directed the NAB officials to proceed with the case in accordance with law. After the hearing, he was arrested by the NAB outside Courtroom No 1. The apex court also directed NAB courts to decide the cases where references against Niazi and other accused are pending within two months and asked NAB to arrest Mohsin Habib Warriach.
A two-member bench comprising Justice Saqib Nisar and Justice Mushir Alam was hearing the case of non-implementation of apex court judgment on NICL. The Supreme Court in its November 2013 judgment had ordered NAB chairman to have all these cases transferred from FIA to his file and proceed in accordance with law, take necessary steps for the recovery of outstanding amount and arrest Mohsin Habib Warraich, Amin Qasim Dada, others, as early as possible.
The judgment declared appointment of Ayaz Khan Niazi as NICL chairman contrary to section 12 of the Insurance Ordinance, 2000 and rules framed there under as non-transparent, illegal and unwarranted. It said the accused be dealt with under section 9(a) (vi) of the National Accountability Ordinance, 1999 [as amended by National Accountability Bureau (Amendment) Ordinance, 2002] on account of NICL scam pertaining to Lahore and Karachi where allegedly offences of corruption and corrupt practices have been committed.
During the proceedings, CJP Nisar expressed annoyance over the delay in deciding the references against the accused by NAB and said why the references were not decided and what NAB had been doing since filing of the reference, and why had not presented its witnesses.
NAB Additional Prosecutor Akbar told the bench that Mohsin Warriach is still an absconder, adding efforts are being made to arrest him. The chief justice said that if Rao Anwar-a controversial officer of Sindh police-can be was recovered court orders, why NAB can not apprehend Moshin Warriach if he is in Pakistan. On the bench query, the prosecutor said that ex-chairman and others were involved in purchasing properties in Lahore, Karachi and Dubai at exorbitant rates.
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