HRW urges Pakistani authorities to stop NAB from abuses

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ISLAMABAD: The Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Thursday urged Pakistani authorities to stop using the country’s anti-corruption watchdog, National Accountability Bureau (NAB), for harassment and intimidation of opponents.

In a statement, the rights organization said that Pakistani authorities should follow up a recent Supreme Court decision and cease using the NAB to detain critics of the government.

The authorities, the HRW said, should investigate and prosecute NAB officials responsible for unlawful arrests and other abuses.

In an 87-page decision, the Supreme Court ruled on July 20 that the NAB had violated the rights to fair trial and due process in the arrest of two opposition politicians, Khawaja Saad Rafique and Khawaja Salman Rafique, whom the NAB detained for 15 months without reasonable grounds. The court granted them bail and criticized the NAB for showing “utter disregard to the law, fair play, equity and propriety.” The court ruled that the “case was a classic example of trampling of fundamental rights [and] unlawful deprivation of freedom.”

“The Pakistani Supreme Court judgment is just the latest indictment of the NAB’s unlawful behavior,” said Brad Adams, Asia director at HRW. “Pakistani authorities should stop using a dictatorship-era body, possessing draconian and arbitrary powers, to intimidate and harass opponents.”

Citing a February report by the European Commission, the SC in its ruling had criticized the NAB for being bias, noting that “very few cases of the ruling party ministers and politicians have been pursued since the 2018 elections, which is considered to be a reflection of NAB’s partiality.”

“Pakistani authorities should uphold the government’s human rights obligations,” Adams said, adding that Pakistan’s parliament should carry out urgent reforms to make the anti-corruption body independent.

“Pakistan’s parliament should amend or repeal the NAB ordinance to ensure that the principles of fair trial, due process, and transparency are not compromised on the pretext of accountability.” Ends