NAB inquiry mere eyewash: Sanaullah

Railways minister denies PML-N rethinking Kulsoom as candidate for NA-120 by-poll

LAHORE: Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah, while terming the NAB investigation mere ‘eyewash’, has said the Sharif family will not become part of such an investigation where “decisions have already been made”.

“What sort of inquiry would it be when the officers at NAB know that they will have to file a reference before the court?” he asked while addressing a news conference after a consultative meeting at Jati Umra.

The law minister was accompanied by Federal Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique and legal counsel for the Sharif family Advocate Amjad Pervez.

Sana said it was of no use becoming part of a tainted inquiry procedure where “statutory rights, protected by the Constitution, are violated”.



The law minister also criticised the decision of deputing a monitoring judge for the proceedings of NAB references in the special court. “Special courts already have administrative judges to oversee trial proceedings.”

Sana said: “NAB, termed dead by the courts themselves, is now said to be working at a deadly pace,” wondering, “Who has breathed life into NAB to work with such efficiency?”

Speaking on the occasion, the railways minister said: “Decisions that divide people are never remembered in good words.” He was referring to the July 28 Supreme Court verdict that disqualified Nawaz Sharif as prime minister.

“Time and again, we are subjected to injustice, so we take our case to the court of the masses.”

The lawyer explained that nowhere in the court order was there a need for investigation.

“The honourable court has ordered NAB to file reference on available evidence collected by the JIT or available with NAB or FIA or by acquiring any supporting documents collected during international correspondence.”

He said a standard procedure of NAB according to NAB laws provides several forums for appeal. “However, in the procedure adopted during this case, his client is left with no forum to appeal to.”



The details revealed by the PML-N leaders during the press conference were an elaboration of the two-page reply filed before NAB on Tuesday.

The railways minister, while answering questions, said: “Our party has never accused the army chief of conspiring.

“We know his commitment to the country,” he added.

Rafique refused to identify the conspirators. He interestingly said that the PML-N had not disrespected judiciary during the homecoming rally, somehow forgetting that Nawaz Sharif continued to call five judges, who pronounced the judgement in the Panamagate case, as ‘five men’, accusing them of disrespecting the public mandate by disqualifying him.

Earlier, Rafique dispelled the impression that the PML-N was reconsidering Kulsoom Nawaz as its candidate for NA-120 by-election after she was diagnosed with cancer. “She will continue to be our candidate.”

He also did not confirm whether deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif was leaving for London or not.

However, sources in the party confirmed that Sharif was earlier scheduled to accompany Kulsoom Nawaz to London.

The sources revealed that Sharif was now scheduled to participate in the lawyers convention on August 25 (Friday) and would fly off to London soon after.

They said any sudden change of plans would be shared with the media, adding there was no reason for Sharif to leave the country unannounced.

The sources also revealed that amendments regarding Articles 62 and 63 also came under discussion. They denied speculation regarding limiting the proposed amendment to Article 62(f)(1).