Recruitment in EOBI: NAB directed to submit list of persons who violated SC’s order

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court ordered the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to submit a comprehensive list of persons who used their influence to recruit people in the Employees’ Old-Age Benefits Institution (EOBI).

A three-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial, on Wednesday, heard the contempt of court case against those who violated the apex court’s order regarding recruitment in the EOBI after January 2011.

The NAB was ordered to furnish a detailed report on the role of persons who violated the Court’s direction. The NAB was also asked to inform about the trial stage. Justice Yahya Afridi said the report submitted in the court does not contain the complete detail of the accused.

Justice Ayesha A Malik questioned what is the stage of the NAB references? adding the appointment were made in 2009. Aitzaz Ahsan contended that his client, PPP central leader Khursheed Shah, became a federal minister in 2011.

The chief justice observed that the EOBI case has been pending since 2010. He said if the contempt of court was committed then the court would fix responsibility, adding the appointments were made in violation of the apex court’s order.

Justice Bandial further said they would examine who had violated the court’s order, adding they wanted to initiate action against those who are actually responsible for the violation instead of all the accused. He said they wanted to pass such an order that does not stop the trial and contempt of court proceedings be also continue.

The chief justice said the court in January 2011 had refrained the government from inducting people in the EOBI. He noted despite that order, people were recruited in the EOBI between September 2011 to May 2012 in violation of the EOBI regulations and the SC’s order.

The CJP further noted that the persons who used their influence to induct people in the EOBI are mentioned in the NAB’s report. He said Khursheed Shah’s name is also in the report who inducted people in the EOBI in violation of the EOBI rules.

Aitzaz Ahsan contended that Khursheed Shah was not a minister at the time when people were recruited in the EOBI. He argued how contempt of court could be committed in the NAB cases. The chief justice told him that therefore, they have directed the NAB to file a report.

Aitzaz said Khursheed Shah has nothing to do with this case. The chief justice remarked that they do not want to decide anything in a hurry and told the counsel to wait for one month, time given to the NAB for filing a comprehensive report. The case was adjourned for a month.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022