‘Who will hold corrupt persons accountable if NAB is eliminated?’

Governor says decision on repealing NAO will be made after due perusal

HYDERABAD: As the Pakistan Peoples Party's Sindh government attempts to restrain the National Accountability Bureau's (NAB) operations, Governor Mohammad Zubair has said he will make a decision about approving the bill after perusal.

"If the Sindh government is bringing a bill that can stop NAB from taking action in Sindh then an alternative to the bureau will have to be given," he underscored while talking to the media on Sunday in Bhit Shah, Matiari district, after visiting the shrine of Hazrat Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai.

The provincial cabinet declared on Friday its plan to amend the National Accountability Ordinance's (1999) applicability in Sindh. The amendment bill will be tabled in the Sindh Assembly for approval.

The governor said he has yet to receive the bill after its enactment from the assembly. "There is concern amongst the people regarding corruption in Sindh. If NAB is ended then who will hold the corrupt elements accountable?" he questioned.



Commenting on the joint investigation team investigating Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his family’s involvement in the Panama leaks case, the governor said speculations about any eventuality in the coming days are baseless. He said some political persons are trying to create an impression that a political storm will occur on July 10 when the JIT will submit its final report in the Supreme Court.

However, he said after the submission, the apex court's bench will study the report, which can take weeks or even months. “The impact of the JIT will remain for many years to come, like the effects of [former prime minister] Zulfikar Bhutto's case," he underscored, adding that for the first time a PM and his family have presented themselves for the inquiry in the country's history.

He informed the media that Nawaz, during his upcoming visit to Karachi on July 11, will announce mega-development projects for the city. Responding to a question about the Sindh government's clipping of the wings of IG Allah Dino Khawaja, the governor said taking away authority from the provincial police chief may create some problems.