SC orders functionality of 30 new accountability courts in a month

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the federal government to make functional 30 new accountability courts within a month across the country.

A three-member bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed and comprising Justice Ijaz Ul Ahsan and Justice Munib Akhtar while hearing a corruption case in Lakhra Power Plant took notice of the vacant post of a permanent law secretary and directed the federal government to make appointment on the position.

During the course of proceedings, the Chief Justice said that the Law Ministry could not be run on adhoc basis.

He also directed the government to make functional 30 new accountability courts and asked the reasons for delay.

The Additional Attorney General said that the finance ministry and the establishment division had given approval while the recruitment process for staff would commence from January 11.

Discussing the Lakhra power plant case, Syed Haider Asghar Prosecutor General NAB said that 18 witnesses out of 29 had recorded their statements in the case.

He said that the NAB would not record the statements of seven witnesses.

Out of 29 hearings in the Accountability Court so far, NAB had taken only one adjournment, he added.

He said that the accused repeatedly demanded adjournment.

The apex court directed the Accountability Court Karachi to decide the Lakhra Power Plant corruption case in this month.

The court sought progress reports from the NAB and the government and adjourned hearing till second week of February.