ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday sought an affidavit from the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) that officials working on deputation in the bureau had been repatriated to their parent departments without any discrimination.

IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah, however, observed that apparently NAB overlooked the international standards while inducting the investigation officers adding that NAB’s investigation officer must be an expert to probe the white collar crimes.

Justice Minallah was hearing a petition filed against repatriation of a store officer to the Military Engineering Service (MES) from NAB.

He sought an affidavit from the additional prosecutor general Jahanzeb Khan Bharwana along with an undertaking that the bureau transferred all the officials without any discrimination.

Store Officer Haroon Rashid was working as investigation officer in NAB for the last eight years and has recently been transferred to MES, his parent department.

According to the counsel for the store officer, NAB repatriated his client in a discriminatory manner since the ‘blue-eyed’ people inducted in NAB from other departments have been retained.

The counsel said that this has been done in violation of the constitutional provision which ensures equal treatment to all citizens.

Mr Bharwana, on the other hand, argued before the court that Rashid was inducted in the Pakistan Navy as store officer and was working in the Engineering Service.

He said that Rashid did not posses any experience related to conducting inquiry or investigation.

Justice Minallah remarked that investigating the white collar crimes is a very specialised job since it is directly related to the honour of citizen, therefore, the investigating officer should be an expert.

He remarked that the petitioner had acquired on job training to investigate white collar crimes, what he would have done with the life of the people he probed throughout this period.

Mr Bharwana said that NAB had framed the rules related to service and ancillary matters which are pending with the law ministry.

The court sought a report on the recent repatriation of the officers to their parent department and adjourned the hearing for a fortnight.

Published in Dawn, November 7th, 2020