PM for formation of body to probe NAB’s action
NAVEED BUTT & AAMIR SAEED
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Wednesday criticized National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for initiating an inquiry against former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for alleged laundering of $4.9 billion to India and urged the speaker National Assembly to constitute a special committee to probe action of the watchdog.
Speaking on floor of the National Assembly, the Prime Minister said the NAB has leveled serious allegation against the former prime minister and this also amounts to a “pre-poll rigging.”
He also said that the House should summon chairman NAB and ask him about the sources of information and evidence on the basis of which the inquiry has been initiated.
The NAB ordered on Tuesday an inquiry against Nawaz Sharif and others for allegedly laundering $4.9 billion to India. According to a NAB statement, the chairman of the Bureau took notice of media report which made the claims citing a World Bank report.
The general elections will be held in two months and NAB is leveling allegations that the former PM was sending money to India. “This is embarrassing for us all. What will be the country’s future if institutions level such serious allegations against its politicians?” he asked, adding: “If an institution can make such allegations, it must be investigated all that is happening in it.”
The Prime Minister also said that the accountability court is hearing cases against Nawaz Sharif and his family. “We don’t expect justice from the court. We don’t see justice being dispensed,” he added.
Highlighting the NAB’s “bias” against Nawaz, the Premier quoted the saying, “Justice must not only be done but also be seen to be done.”
He said that a military dictator had formed the NAB for political victimization and breaking the political parties, adding that he along with Opposition Leader Khursheed Shah appointed the chairman NAB through consensus.
The Premier said that both Pakistan People’s Party and PML-N got the chance to amend the NAB law, but unfortunately no consensus was developed.
He said that his party is still willing to amend the NAB law if the consensus is developed on it.
Earlier speaking in the House, Defense Minister Khurram Dastgir Khan also criticized the NAB for initiating a ‘false’ inquiry against the former prime minister.
He said that World Bank has also clarified and rebutted the report of alleged money-laundering from Pakistan to India, adding that democracy is under threat in the country.
Talking about the 2014 sit-in of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, he said that Parliament House and Pakistan Television were attacked, and an elected prime minister was later disqualified on the basis of a WhatsApp-famed joint investigation team’s report.
The defense minister also counted achievements of his government ranging from elimination of terrorists through military operations in tribal areas to restoration of peace in Karachi and development projects under China-Pakistan Economic Corridor to installation of multibillion rupees energy projects.
Both PTI and Jamaat-e-Islami rejected the Prime Minister’s proposal of setting up a special committee to probe the NAB. PTI member Asad Umar said that his party has proposed formation of a parliamentary committee at the time of Panama Paper’s disclosures, but the PML-N leadership preferred to approach the court.
Umar said that it was the responsibility of Finance Ministry to probe the issue, but it did not fulfill it. The NAB is looking into the matter and constitution of a special committee would be tantamount to pressurize the Bureau, he added.
The PPP and MQM-P members sought time from the speaker over formation of the special committee, saying they would inform the speaker about their decision after consulting their respective parties.
The speaker asked the members of all parties to convey their final decision on the committee by Thursday.
PTI member Dr Shireen Mazari criticized the government’s performance during its five-year tenure, saying the government failed to make FATA a part of Pakistan.
She said the government also failed on foreign policy’s front as it could not start work on Pak-Iran gas pipeline that resulted in loss of billions of rupees to national exchequer.
Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai said that NAB should inquire the matter of money-laundering if there is any evidence to it, otherwise the Parliament should take action against the Bureau.
PPP member Abdus Sattar Bachani, PTI’s Colonel Amirullah Marwat (retd), Asiya Naz Tanoli of PML-N and others also delivered their speeches on the budget.
