NAB order to probe Nawaz meets mixed reaction

PML-N says bureau chairman has acted beyond his jurisdiction

LAHORE: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chairman’s order to hold an inquiry against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s for the alleged transfer of $ 4.9billion to India has met with mixed reactions.

The reaction could be gauged from the varying resolutions submitted by legislators who either opposed or supported the NAB action.

In two out of the four resolutions, the NAB’s role was declared impartial and the movers said it would help eradicate corrupt elements. These resolutions assured that the House stood with NAB and other institutions which did not want to see corruption in the country. In the other two, NAB’s role was termed beyond its jurisdiction and the movers demanded the resignation of the accountability watchdog’s chairman.

PMLN’s Hina Pervez Butt, in her resolution, said the NAB chairman had lost the confidence of the people after issuing a notification against the former PM. She believed this was a clear attempt to victimise Sharif. Butt added it was astonishing that NAB chairman leveled the allegation when World Bank clearly stated in its report that the money was neither laundered nor was Nawaz’s name seen anywhere.



She said the heads of departments did not have the right to usurp the basic right of anyone. She demanded the resignation of the NAB chairman, adding he ordered an inquiry order beyond his powers and without substantial evidence. She also demanded Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar suo moto take notice of the matter.

PML-N’s Raheela Naeem alias Raheela Khadim Hussain said NAB’s chairman had damaged the bureau’s image by ordering an irrelevant inquiry and leveling allegations of money laundering against their leader Nawaz Sharif. She also demanded the NAB’s chairman’s resignation.

Meanwhile, opposition leader Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed strongly condemned the statement of former PM Nawaz Sharif against the NAB chairman. In his resolution, Rasheed said Nawaz’s statement was tantamount to harassment of the bureau’s chairman. He said NAB was playing its role in accordance with the law to eradicate corruption. The opposition leader added the House vowed to stand with all institutions such as NAB and would support all action against corruption.



Another PTI legislator, Sadia Sohail Rana, applauded the role of NAB in the eradication of corruption. She said no corrupt or a disqualified person had the right put demand the resignation of the bureau’s chairman. She added the demands had no legal standing. She asked that the House emphasize that NAB continue his work against corruption. She said the chairman should not take note of those demanding his resignation and focus on weeding out corruption from the country.

Talking to The Express Tribune, opposition leader Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed believed something was amiss in the way the former PM reacted to the NAB chairman’s ordered for an inquiry.

He said PML-N’s leadership does not want to see any action by an independent institution against corruption as they support illegal practices. He said the party leaders were trying to pressure the NAB’s chairman through press conferences, but PTI would stand by the NAB chairman against corruption.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 12^th, 2018.