KARACHI: The Sindh High Court on Wednesday directed the chairman of the National Accountability Bureau to file comments for assigning investigations and inquiries to a NAB investigator who was himself allegedly involved in taking bribe from the suspects.

A two-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Ahmed Ali M. Shaikh was hearing a petition of NAB against the decision of an accountability court that had refused to entertain the case against NAB investigator Kamran Janwari.

“Your officer was allegedly himself involved in corruption. How is he conducting investigations and inquiries?” the chief justice asked the NAB prosecutor and remarked that the country’s top anti-graft institution seemed to have double standards.

During the previous hearing the chief justice had observed that on the one hand NAB filed a petition against its officer, and on the other hand he was being assigned investigations by the NAB director general, Sukkur, Fayyaz Qureshi.

On Wednesday, the bench asked the NAB prosecutor as to what disciplinary action was taken against the delinquent officer.

The prosecutor informed the judges that the departmental action was initiated against the NAB officer and he would not be promoted for five years.

The bench directed the NAB prosecutor to ensure the filing of comments of NAB director general and put off the hearing to March 11.

Coal contracts

Meanwhile, another two-judge bench directed the provincial government to submit a comprehensive report regarding the contracts of Sindh Thar Engro Coal Power Project which were allegedly awarded to blue-eyed companies.

The bench was hearing the petition filed by contractor Shaikh Abdul Qayyum.

The bench directed the advocate general to place before it a comprehensive report of the contracts by April 2.

The petitioner stated that the provincial government had issued advertisement in lesser known newspapers just to give benefit to its blue-eyed companies. He said that all these activities were being carried out secretly to restrain him from taking part in the bid.

He said that keeping the process in secret was a violation of rules of Sindh Public Procurement Regu­latory Authority.

Impleading chief secretary, Sindh Coal Authority director general and others as the respondents, the petitioner prayed to the court to direct the authorities concerned to ensure that contracts be awarded in a transparent manner.

Published in Dawn, March 8th, 2018