ISLAMABAD, June 9: Two accountability courts have been set up in the federal capital to deal with white-collar crime cases, a senior official of NAB Rawalpindi told Dawn on Saturday.With the establishment of two accountability courts in the federal capital, the total number of such courts in the twin cities has risen to six as four are already working in Rawalpindi.
“One court has been established some 15 days ago in the building of Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs at Margalla Road and the second at F-8 but they have so far not started their function,” the NAB spokesman Zafar Iqbal said.
The official said that the courts had not started working because the judges had not yet been appointed so far. “We hope that they will be appointed soon,” the spokesman said.
These courts will take up the cases presented by the NAB Rawalpindi which deals with the cases of Islamabad, Rawalpindi and Northern Areas. The registrar of four accountability courts in Rawalpindi Mushtaq Ahmed Qureshi has been given additional responsibilities of the registrar of the two accountability courts in the federal capital.
Responding to query about number of cases being investigated and prosecuted by the NAB Rawalpindi, the spokesman said that they were in hundreds and four accountability courts were already overburdened.
Meanwhile, NAB Headquarters which was established in Rawalpindi Medical College (RMC) girls’ hostel at Rawal Road has been shifted to Islamabad.
“Today (Saturday) we have completed the shifting of NAB Headquarters to environment ministry building near Lal Masjid,” another official of NAB Rawalpindi said.
“With the shifting of NAB Headquarters, the cases will soon be sent to accountability courts established in Islamabad,” he said.
Although the NAB Rawalpindi has vacated the building of RMC girls’ hostel, two accountability courts are still functioning there.
“The accountability courts come under law and justice division and NAB has nothing to do with them. But these two courts will also be shifted somewhere else in a month or so,” the official said.
The building of ministry of environment, which was lying vacant after its devolution to the provinces, had been damaged and burnt during Lal Masjid operation and riots in 2007.
Earlier, the Supreme Court had also taken a suo motu notice on the occupation of RMC hostel by NAB which had submitted its reply promising that after the completion of the renovation work of its new building, the hostel would be handed over to the authorities concerned by the May 31.
“Although the deadline of the Supreme Court was lapsed on May 31, RMC principal permitted the NAB to stay for another ten days which is ending on Sunday,” the NAB official said.
Young doctors warned the NAB if it failed to shift its courts from the hostel by May 31 this year, they would not hesitate to use force in taking over the hostel building.