Islamabad: A group of former prisoners affected by injustices of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), named “Insaaf Alert,” has written an open letter to Chief Justice of Lahore High Court, Justice Aalia Neelum, demanding immediate reforms in the judicial process related to NAB cases to protect innocent people from NAB’s abuses and oppression.
The group highlighted that NAB often misuses its powers by turning corporate and commercial disputes into criminal cases, resulting in the unfair detention of innocent people. The letter emphasized the need for fearless judges with a deep understanding of corporate and criminal law to oversee white-collar crime cases.
The group pointed out the failures in dealing with NAB-related matters, where accountability within NAB is minimal. The letter stated, “We are writing today with great hope because you are considered righteous and passionate about judicial reforms.”
The group underscored that higher court rulings have acknowledged NAB’s misuse of power, specifically mentioning that civil disputes are wrongly turned into criminal cases. The letter further noted that the misuse of power was so extensive that in June 2022, Parliament had to amend the law to clarify that NAB should not take notice of commercial disputes unless criminal intent is evident at the transaction’s inception.
The group proposed key reforms for the High Court, which include:
1. Special benches for NAB cases, assigning cases to a judge with expertise in corporate law.
2. Allowing multiple High Court benches, instead of a single specific bench, to hear NAB cases to broaden judicial oversight, similar to the Supreme Court, to avoid biased handling.
3. Highlighting that under NAB law, only final decisions are required to be presented before a division bench, whereas currently, all NAB matters are under a division bench, causing unnecessary burden on the judicial system.
The group also requested the recruitment of individuals with corporate law expertise in accountability trial courts, believing these reforms would prevent unnecessary delays and help keep corporate matters separate from criminal proceedings.
The group’s letter represents the collective voice of those directly affected by NAB’s undue influence, demanding unbiased justice from the judiciary. This open letter adds to the growing public pressure for transparency and reforms in NAB’s operations, reminiscent of the serious mismanagement exposed in high-profile cases in recent years.
