The Supreme Court of Pakistan has resolved a jurisdictional conflict by ruling that it lacks authority over National Accountability Bureau (NAB) cases, transferring all pending criminal appeals to the Federal Constitutional Court (FCC).

The 30-page judgment, authored by Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, emphasized that the court cannot exercise jurisdiction over NAB matters under Article 175F of the Constitution and Sections 32 and 32-A of the National Accountability Ordinance, 1999.The ruling stressed that judicial decisions must adhere strictly to legal frameworks, not media influence or public perception.The court warned against unbridled judicial overreach, citing past misuse of suo motu powers that damaged institutional legitimacy.

The decision came amid two petitions: one from the NAB challenging an acquittal by the Peshawar High Court, and another from an under-trial prisoner contesting the Islamabad High Court’s refusal of bail.

The judgment underscores the importance of constitutional boundaries and statutory jurisdiction, rejecting the notion of courts acting as media darlings or public opinion arbiters.