Only two convictions have been secured so far in the National Accountability Bureau's (NAB) much-publicised 179 mega corruption cases, while 21 references are still under trial, according to the latest figures shared exclusively. The latest status of the cases shows that 86 references are presently reflected in NAB's records. Of these, 41 have been transferred or returned because of changes in NAB law, 21 are under trial, six have ended in acquittal, three have been withdrawn, one has been disposed of, one is under investigation, four are dormant, two have abated and five are at the appeal stage. Only two cases have so far resulted in convictions.
Authorities attributed part of the delay in the disposal of the cases to changes in the legal framework governing NAB. "The delay was on account of new legislation and it took about three years to be finally operational after the judgment of the Supreme Court," officials noted. This refers to the impact of successive legislative changes to the accountability law during the last five to six years, which affected the proceedings of cases and took considerable time to become fully operational following the Supreme Court judgment.
The 179 cases have remained a subject of considerable public and political interest since NAB submitted their details before the Supreme Court in 2015. The latest figures provide an updated picture of their fate more than a decade after the cases were initially identified as "mega corruption cases." According to the latest regional breakup, Karachi has 21 references, Islamabad/Rawalpindi 26, Lahore 15, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 19 and Balochistan five.
Of the 26 references relating to Islamabad/Rawalpindi, four are under trial, 12 have been transferred or returned, five have resulted in acquittals, one has been withdrawn, two are dormant and two have abated. In Karachi, five cases are under trial, 12 have been transferred or returned, one has resulted in conviction, one has been disposed of and two are at the appeal stage. Lahore has two cases under trial, seven transferred or returned, one conviction, one acquittal, two withdrawals, one dormant case and one at the appeal stage. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, nine cases are under trial, eight have been transferred or returned and two are at the appeal stage, while Balochistan has one case under trial, two transferred or returned, one under investigation and one dormant.
The latest figures also show that 41 cases - almost half of the 86 references in the current status - have been transferred or returned, making this the largest category. The status comes against the backdrop of a prolonged legal and legislative history surrounding NAB cases. Repeated amendments to the National Accountability Ordinance and subsequent litigation over the changes created uncertainty over the applicability and continuation of proceedings in a number of cases.