SHC directs NIVCD to provide record to NAB

KARACHI: Sindh High Court on Friday directed the administration of National Institute of Cardio-Vascular Diseases (NIVCD) to provide requisite records to National Accountability Bureau (NAB) enabling it to complete its inquiry pertaining to alleged misappropriation of zakat funds and recruitments made in violation of relevant rules and procedures.

The court issued the directions while hearing pleas challenging the NAB inquiry.

When the petitions of NIVCD director Dr Nadeem Qamar and others were taken up, flanked by Justice Shamsuddin Abbasi, head of the two-member bench Justice Muhammad Iqbal Kalhoro questioned NAB investigation officer (IO) as to why inquiry had not been completed despite time being sought from the court on many occasions.

The IO submitted that NAB required some original documents pertaining to certain appointments. In this regard, he stated, that time and again he wrote letters to NIVCD administration for provision of relevant documents but the same had not been provided yet. He stated the inquiry had been lingering on for want of the documents.

The counsel for the petitioner Dr Nadeem Qamar submitted that the inquiry was initiated regarding 20 appointments only and now the record for several thousand appointments was being asked for. The petitioner’s counsel further pleaded record pertaining to implanting of stents to patients during past eight years was also being sought.

The court directed the NIVCD administration to provide relevant record and asked Dr Nadeem Qamar and other petitioners to cooperate NAB in the investigations. The bench also directed NAB to complete the inquiry and submit its progress report on October 15, 2021. The bench also extended pre-arrest bail granted to petitioners earlier till the same date.

The same bench also extended the pre-arrest bail of former Sindh minister Manzoor Wasan he was earlier granted bail in an inquiry initiated against him by NAB for allegedly possessing assets beyond his known sources of income.

The NAB prosecutor submitted that the inquiry was in its final stage and a decision regarding filing of reference or otherwise would be taken after vetting of the final draft of inquiry by NAB headquarters in Islamabad. The bench extended Wasan’s bail till October 4, 2021, and directed NAB to furnish progress report on the same date.