Khawaja Haris, counsel for former prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Friday raised the issue of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Rawalpindi Director General Irfan Mangi’s meeting with the accountability judges hearing corruption references against the Sharif family.
Haris raised the issue during the hearing of Al-Azizia Steel Mills and Flagship Investment corruption references against the former premier and his family.
“There were reports in the media about Mangi’s meeting with judges yesterday. We should refrain from such situations,” Haris said as the hearing went underway.
Accountability judge Justice Arshad Malik has been hearing Al-Azizia and Flagship references against the former premier and his family.
To this Judge Malik remarked, “I had summoned DG NAB and had asked him to meet me the day before yesterday, however, he left after waiting for some time which is why we met yesterday.”
Further, the judge said, “I had summoned Irfan Mangi in an official capacity. I did not speak to him about the case. The only mention of the case in our conversation was that I could not meet him the day before yesterday owing to an engagement.”
“There were some issues with remand of NAB suspects and I told Mangi to solve them otherwise he would be in trouble,” the judge further clarified.
“For the media, it might be a huge issue of Mangi meeting judges, however, it is not for us,” Judge Malik added.
On Thursday, Mangi arrived at the Judicial Complex in Islamabad, where he met with accountability court judges Mohammad Bashir and Arshad Malik. Sources said the meeting took place in the chamber of Justice Malik after the time for judicial proceedings had ended. The meeting lasted for one-and-a-half hour.
Published in Daily Times, October 6th 2018.
