Marriyum accuses NAB of omitting crucial evidence in Aashiana Housing scheme

PML-N spokesperson says graft watchdog be held ‘accountable’ for pursuing a non-case against Shehbaz

LAHORE: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb has said the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) intentionally omitted a crucial evidential proof which establishes that the Aashiana Housing scheme contract was terminated with mutual consent of parties.

“NAB should be held accountable for intentionally influencing the outcome of the case by omitting the key evidence. Because of this [the PML-N President], Shehbaz Sharif is illegally remanded in its custody,” she said while talking to media on Wednesday.

She said the people of Pakistan and the entire world are observing that NAB has become a party of the government in this case against the PML-N president who has been in NAB’s custody since October 6.

“Prime Minister Imran Khan is blatantly using NAB for political victimisation which is why the ‘selected’ PM has turned a blind eye to billions of rupees worth illegal assets of his sister while he is obsessed with Shehbaz Sharif,” she added.

The PML-N spokesperson said: “The PM’s sister Aleema, who has clearly paid penalty over illegal [foreign] assets, is free while Shehbaz Sharif, who is as clean as a whistle, is being held hostage by the vengeful government.”

She said NAB omitted evidence despite the fact that Shehbaz Sharif specifically pointed it out but after three hearings, NAB has nothing to say except for using the clichéd tool for political victimisation – assets beyond means.

She said keeping Shahbaz in custody without evidence of even a minor corruption is illegal and amounts to an abduction of a Pakistani civilian. “Shehbaz is kept hostage according to a well thought out plan only to protect the incompetence of ‘U-Turn’ prime minister.”

She questioned the ‘double standards’ of the government which, according to her, embezzled billions of rupees so that the potholes of the Peshawar Metro could go unnoticed but which criticised the super successful mega metro projects of the PML-N that serve the most deserving people of Pakistan.

Aurengzeb said the PM is insecure because he knows that he is a product of engineered elections. “However, Imran Khan needs to know that he cannot hide Aleema’s illegal money and failure of Peshawar Metro behind fake cases against the PML-N leadership,” she added.

She said Shehbaz Sharif had sent Aashiana case for investigation and action to the Anti-Corruption Department in March 2013. NAB investigated this case on September 17of the same year.

She said all of the Aashiana schemes including that of Lahore, Faisalabad, and Multan are an example of crystal clear transparency and NAB knows this truth from day one.

Shehbaz even held an investigation under Tariq Bajwa when he sensed some irregularities and then the case was sent to the anti-corruption department.  Shehbaz is being punished by the PTI for his honesty and transparency, she added.

The PML-N leader questioned the premise of the Aashiana case as a corruption case when there was no public money released, nor any land sanctioned by the government in this particular matter.

“It is on record that Latif and Sons said they were not interested in working on the project. Then why is this case being pursued when NAB has not been able to produce a single piece of evidence? A national hero who is also cancer-survivor with complicated health issues is being kept in custody.”

She said Shehbaz’s recent reports regarding tumor-markers had shown dangerous levels after which the doctors had advised him to stay in a dust-free, well-ventilated place with access to sunlight and fresh air.