Privilege committee irked by continuous absence of NAB DG

Committee had called Altaf Bawany for his remarks against the Sindh Assembly

KARACHI: The privilege committee of Sindh Assembly can give a six-month sentence to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Sindh director-general (DG) over his failure to present himself in the committee to clarify derogatory remarks against the Sindh Assembly.

This was said by Parliamentary Minister Nisar Ahmed Khuhro on Thursday who was presiding over the privilege committee meeting where NAB Sindh DG Altaf Bawani had been summoned for his remarks against the assembly after it repealed the NAB ordinance.

"He has breached the assembly privilege and despite our notices, has failed to attend the third consecutive meeting. Before we make the decision unilaterally, this committee should write a letter to the NAB chairperson requesting him to ensure that [Bawani attends the next meeting]," Khuhro said while directing his staff to write the letter to the NAB chairperson.



It may be mentioned here that the privilege committee started its meeting three weeks ago when PPP MPA Ghulam Qadir Chandio moved a resolution in the assembly condemning the remarks of Bawani and demanding action against him.

The meeting was attended  by Pakistan Peoples Party MPA Ghulam Qadir, Law Minister Ziaul Hasan Lanjar, MPA Khursheed Junejo, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf MPA Samar Ali Khan and Advocate-General Barrister Zameer Ghumro.

Khuhro later told the media that they want to maintain decorum of the assembly and will give another chance to NAB Sindh DG to present before the committee and clarify his version. If he fails to appear and justify his case, then the committee would make the decision in his absence.