PESHAWAR: An Accountability Court (AC) of Peshawar has issued orders to freeze 75 bank accounts of contractors involved in the scandal of Bus Rapid Transit project and to seal two residential plots.
The Accountability Court in Peshawar approved NAB’s request to freeze the accounts of contractors of the BRT project and confirmed the orders of Director General NAB Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
During the hearing, the counsel told the court that the National Accountability Bureau is investigating the BRT scandal to collect more details, and requested the court to maintain the order of Director General, NAB.
On this occasion, the counsel of contractors of BRT told the court that NAB does not have the authority to freeze the Accounts and assets of the contractors. It is illegal to freeze the assets.
In response the NAB’s counsel told the court that the D.G NAB has the authority and requested the court to confirm the orders of the Director General NAB. Lawyer stated that the contractors have gone in international arbitration. Including that part, it is illegal to freeze these accounts because the director general has no jurisdiction and the action has not been taken against the third foreign contractor of this project. NAB’s lawyer said that this freezing of the banks is according to the law and NAB can seize the accounts.
However, the court affirmed the order of seizing plots and accounts by NAB and directed the contractors’ lawyers that if they want to file a petition against it then they can submit the objectionable plea regarding that.
During the hearing, the court accepted NAB’s request regarding the freezing of contractor’s Accounts which had been frozen by NAB. The court upheld the orders of the DG NAB and issued orders to freeze the accounts of the contractors and seal the two residential plazas too.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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