ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Monday disposed of a human rights case related to disbursement of about Rs 2 billion National Bank of Pakistan Achievement Awards among its 16 executive officers after it was apprised by the Federal Investigation Agency that the challan against the recipients had been completed.
A three-Judge bench comprising Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Justice Nasir ul Mulk and Justice Jawwad S. Khawaja in its order noted that as the inquiry was conducted by FIA against the accused ones and challans were moved, therefore, they were of the opinion that no further action was called for.
However, it directed National Accountability Bureau to submit its report in chamber over the delay caused by FIA officials in conducting inquiry in the light of Court's order.
During course of proceedings, Fauzee Zafar, NAB official, apprised the bench that there were a total of 4,000 recipients of the awards.
The bench questioned him about the report over a delay caused in inquiry by FIA and expressed displeasure over the progress.
Azam Khan, Director Legal FIA, appeared and stated that all the accused including its former president were challaned and the delay of 15 months was caused by the investigation process.
He said over 20 billion rupees were given away as achievement awards.
The Chief Justice observed that prima facie, that amount was misappropriated and questioned why these people were allowed to withdraw the amount out of the workers' welfare funds.
He said the corruption had crossed billion figure while not a single penny was recovered so far.
Anwar Mansoor Khan, counsel for NBP, contended that the achievement awards were approved by the board of directors and they should also be tried.
He warned that proceedings in the Supreme Court would override the trial at the lower courts.
Justice Jawwad S. Khawja observed that the NBP should have taken interest in prosecuting these people, but it seemed that it was not interested in recovery of the amount.
He said everybody knew how banks gave away bonuses but in this case, they were saying that the bank could not grant such amount out of the trust funds.
Azam said that the FIA had established that the amount was given away illegally.
An another FIA officer appeared and stated that they had examined seven directors of the board and they stated that the disbursement was illegal and they had opposed such move.
About allegations against Qamar Hussain, president NBP, Azam Khan replied that he was not the beneficiary as he was not in service of the bank during the year 2003 to 2008.
While Hashmat Ali Habib, counsel for Syed Jahangir, the petitioner, contended that the current NBP president who was given away millions of rupees as bonus should also be tried.
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