NAB lets media inside its lock-ups to counter complaints
LAHORE: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Thursday threw open its lock-ups to counter allegations that it is running ‘aqubat khanas’ or torture cells in the name of investigating corruption cases.
A group of journalists stayed in the NAB lock-ups for some time to find out whether there was any truth in accusations made by people close to Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz president Mian Shahbaz Sharif — to which Khawaja Saad Rafique who was arrested on Tuesday along with his brother Khawaja Salman Rafique in the Paragon housing society case has added an angry line or two of his own.
Take a look: NAB’s tactics
The media visit was arranged after the former railways minister had given the accountability court his own inside account of life within the walls of the detention centre. He came up with such details as how the door to the washroom he was using on the NAB premises was without something as essential as a latch. In response the court had asked NAB to provide “basic facilities” to the suspects.
A block in NAB building consists of 14 detention cells and each has space for three suspects
The NAB building at Thokar Niaz Baig has a separate block that consists of 14 detention cells (lock-ups), seven on the ground floor and as many on the first floor. Each cell has space for three suspects. Part of the open area at the block’s entrance is dedicated to offering prayers and a strip that can be used for taking walks. This leads to a corridor, to the right of which are the cells to keep the suspects and on the left are located rooms for interrogation and for a doctor to sit. At the end of the corridor stand the small-size washrooms. A camera is installed in each cell.
