Islamabad High Court restores 10-year disqualification period for NAB convicted

Islamabad, Jan 4,2024: Islamabad High Court, comprising Justice Mohsin Akhtar KIyani and Justice Saman Rafat Imtiaz, has overturned the National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) decision to reduce the disqualification period for a convicted individual to 10 years.

The decision came after an appeal by NAB, challenging the earlier ruling that had shortened the disqualification period to 5 years.

During the hearing, Justice KIyani raised questions about the criteria for disqualification as outlined in Article 62 One H. Senior Special Prosecutor NAB, Mohammad Rafi, clarified that according to NAB law, the disqualification period for Fayeq Ali Jamali would remain at 10 years, subject to the decision of the Supreme Court.

The division bench, dissatisfied with the previous ruling, suspended the single bench decision and issued a stay order, effectively restoring the 10-year disqualification period for NAB convicted individuals. The court’s decision has immediate implications, particularly for Fayeq Ali Jamali, whose disqualification period had been reduced to 5 years in the earlier ruling.

Fayeq Ali Jamali, who was recently given a ticket by the PML-N for the provincial assembly of Balochistan, now faces a 10-year disqualification period as per the Islamabad High Court’s order. The stay order issued by the court puts a temporary halt on any proceedings related to Jamali’s disqualification.

This latest development highlights the ongoing legal complexities surrounding disqualification periods for NAB convicted individuals and raises important questions about the interpretation of relevant laws and constitutional provisions.