Sindh CM excuses himself from appearing before NAB in graft case

Opposition hopeful of change in Sindh government if NAB arrests CM

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, who was supposed to appear before the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in a graft case today (Tuesday), decided to excuse himself, citing too short a notice. This is the second time the CM has avoided appearing before the NAB on a call-up notice in the past one week. The last time was on September 17, when the CM claimed to have responded to the NAB's queries in writing and said that he would appear on September 24.

Sources in the Sindh government said that the decision to not appear before the NAB today was made at the eleventh hour after consultation with legal and constitutional experts. Rumors regarding the chief minister's arrest were rife after the NAB took Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) MNA Khursheed Shah into custody last week.



"I have received short notice to appear before you in Islamabad. I request you to please fix another date for the inquiry," said the CM, in a letter addressed to the NAB.

Sources privy to the development told The Express Tribune that the PPP leadership, legal experts and his cabinet members have advised the CM to avoid going to Islamabad. "He will not go and appear before the NAB in Islamabad and will be ready if the authorities arrest him in Karachi," said a senior official in the Sindh government, adding, however, that there were slim chances of him being arrested.

The case

The chief minister has been facing charges of giving billions of rupees worth of subsidies to the Thatta and Dadu sugar mills on the orders of the party leaders when he was the provincial finance minister. Shah has, however, denied the allegations on several occasions. "How can a finance minister give subsidies worth billions of rupees? It's not his prerogative. A finance minister can only give the subsidy of an amount that does not exceed Rs100,000," he said.

Speaking to the media about subsidies given to the Omni Groups and others, the CM said that the Sindh government has been giving subsidies on tractors, electricity, wheat and sugarcane to enhance production and consumption. "I am ready to fight the case in the court of law and face the consequences," he said.

According to reports, the NAB may arrest the chief minister from Karachi if he avoids appearing before the investigators in Islamabad.

For his part, the CM's adviser on law and the Sindh government's spokesperson said that the chief minister has appeared before the NAB officials thrice already and has even responded to all their queries. "The Sindh government and the chief minister will never avoid appearing before the NAB," said Wahab. "In his absence, due to unavoidable reasons, the CM's legal team will appear before the NAB team," he added.

Change on the cards?

On the other hand, rumours are rife about an in-house change in the Sindh Assembly after the arrest of the chief minister. PPP leaders, however, refuted the reports, saying there is no change on the cards. "The PPP has decided not to bring a new chief minister. The Sindh government will continue to function even if the incumbent CM is arrested. The party will not bring another member for the slot of CM to replace Murad Ali Shah," a senior PPP leader told The Express Tribune, adding that the PPP has a majority in the house with 99 members, while the opposition parties, which have a combined strength of 69 MPAs, can't bring a simple majority of 85 votes to send the PPP government packing.



"The election for the leader of the house takes place in the provincial assembly with a show of hands," explained senior analyst, Ali Kazi. "It will be impossible for 16 PPP MPAs to change their loyalty in the present circumstances. If so, they will be disqualified because they can't change their loyalty given the 18th Amendment," he added.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and the Grand Democratic Alliance have high hopes to bring a change in the house following the CM's arrest.  "Most of the PPP MPAs are in contact with us. They are annoyed with the party policy and bad governance. Let's see what happens," said PTI leader and Opposition leader in Sindh Assembly Firdous Shamim Naqvi.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 24^th, 2019.