Unholy alliance between NAB, PTI: Shehbaz Sharif

PML-N president demands house panel to probe corruption allegation

ISLAMABAD:

Opposition Leader in the National Assembly and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday said there was an unholy alliance between the ruling party and the anti-graft body.

"This is the first time in history that an opposition leader is arrested without any charges in such a hasty manner," said Shahbaz while delivering a speech on the floor of the house.

The PML-N president added he did not want to discuss the merit of the case against him. "I want to talk about the unholy alliance between PTI and NAB."

"During the election campaign, I openly said that PTI and NAB are arm in arm,” he said.

Shehbaz was attending the session after being produced in the house on the orders of National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser.

“I am telling you without any fear that the NAB chairman had given orders for my arrest in July,” said the opposition leader and added that prior to the by-elections, the anti-graft watchdog “implemented the order to affect the poll results”.

“Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) won the seats lost in the general elections within two months, which proves the elections were rigged,” claimed Shehbaz.



Shehbaz claimed that NAB had informed him that there are no charges of corruption against him, but rather he was arrested on baseless allegations of aiding and abetting former army chief Gen (retd) Ashfaq Parvez Kayani’s brother Kamran Kayani.

The former Punjab chief minister stated that he had not come to the lower house to defend himself; rather, he wanted to inform parliament that “he served the public within his capacity”.

He said the recently-held by-polls had proved that the prime minister was a product of rigging. “The PML-N won the seats back despite putting me behind the bar.”

“These are the seats that the PTI had won just two months back,” added Shehbaz.

Categorically denying corruption charges leveled against him, Shehbaz demanded constitution of a house committee having representation from both opposition and treasury benches to verify corruption charges against him (Shehbaz).

He said if the charges proved against him, he should be punished.

“I have served Punjab province, burnt midnight oil for progress of the province and history will one day vindicate me,” he said, adding, “I will continue serving the people till death.”

"A NAB official told me that there is evidence that my children and I have investments in China and Turkey. To which, I told the officials to bring forward the evidence and I will apologise in parliament," he said, adding that he warned the officials that this conversation is on record.

"I told them you are involving our trusted friends in this low allegation," he added.

He said corruption charges against him in Ashiana Housing Scheme were not proved yet. He alleged NAB was targeting the PML-N in collaboration with the ruling party.

He said NAB had issued his arrest orders between July 5 to 13. However, the decision to arrest him was implemented ahead of the by-polls.

This was also endorsed by a statement of a sitting federal minister, Shehbaz added.

Delving into the details regarding the Ashiana Housing Scheme, Shehbaz said, "A NAB official told me that there are no corruption allegations against me in the housing case, but that I used my position to give the contract to former army chief Gen (retd) Ashfaq Parvez Kayani's brother to please him.

“However, I met Kamran Kayani for the first time in 2008. He had been awarded the Rs40 billion Ring Road project contract by the Punjab government that was led by Pervaiz Elahi."

"However, when I saw that Kamran was not listening to the friendly advice I cancelled the contract," Shehbaz said as opposition members broke into applause.

"Till date, the former army chief has not questioned me regarding cancellation of his brother's contract which goes on to show his integrity."

He said the results of the recent by-election have proved the veracity of opposition's rigging claims of widespread riggings in the last general elections of July 25.

The general election results had been reversed only after the passage of two months, which is astonishing.

He alleged that the leadership of PML-N was being apprehended and sent to jail to get favourable results in by-elections.

But alas their nefarious designs were not materialized as the confirmed seats of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), won in general elections had been snatched by the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N), Awami National Party (ANP), Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) and others.

He severely criticised NAB for handcuffing the honourable teachers.

The PML-N president continued, "I am the most ardent supporter of Pakistan-China and Pakistan-Saudi Arabia friendship, but I will do anything to save every penny of this country and go to the last point to defend Pakistan's interests."

Taking the floor, Minister for Housing and Works Chaudhry Tariq Bashir Cheema said nation has the right to know where the whopping foreign debt of Rs30,000 billion was spent by the past government.



“The prime minister believes in transparency and good governance.” He severely criticised the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leadership for criticising Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi's policies during his tenure as Punjab Chief Minister.

Later, talking to the reporter, Shehbaz accused NAB of forcing him to become approver in the power project case against Khawaja Asif “but I said he is an honest man”.

Fawad Hasan Fawad Hasan did not agree to become approver. There is no difference in Nawaz Sharif’s narrative. Giving recommendations on any issue is not like disagreeing. Speaking to senior journalists at Parliament house h

He said the room he was being kept in a room that had no ventilation. “There is 24-hour darkness and one cannot know if it is the day outside or the night. It is like a torture cell.”