Undeterred by politician’s threat: NAB

Anti-graft body says threats, offensive language won't stop it from taking legal action

ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau on Tuesday said threats and use of offensive language by the chairman of a political party “cannot stop it from taking legal action against suspects”.

The statement, issued by a spokesperson for the anti-graft watchdog, came a day after PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari warned NAB that he would skip his scheduled appearance before its investigation team in Rawalpindi today.

Bilawal has been sent the call-up notice by NAB Rawalpindi for questioning over its investigation into the transfer of Rs1.22 billion to Opal from an account of the Zardari Group of Companies. Bilawal owns 25% shares in the Group, while Opal is a joint venture of the group.

Bilawal told reporters that he has received notice from “this fake institute of accountability” at a time when he was about to reinvigorate his political struggle. He added that he had conveyed to NAB through his lawyers that he would not appear before the investigators on Tuesday.

He added that despite his objections to NAB’s functioning, he would appear before the bureau in the future — but not on Dec 24. “I respect the rule of law of this country and I can face all these accusations,” he said.

In its statement, the NAB spokesperson declared Bilawal’s refusal to appear before its probing team contrary to assurance the PPP chairman had given to the watchdog’s Rawalpindi chapter in a letter.

Through his counsel, the NAB spokesperson added, Bilawal submitted an application saying he had no objection to appearing before the investigators after January 15.

“NAB is an institution that operates to eradicate corruption from the country in accordance with the law. It believes in recording statements from any individual in connection with an ongoing investigation so that the person concerned is not deprived of his legal right and that the legal obligations are fulfilled.”

Responding to a question, the PPP chairman said there was no chance of his arrest by NAB. “I don’t fear arrest … I will never make any compromise on my political ideology,” he said. “If you have the courage, then arrest me. I would be more dangerous for them if they arrest me.”

Bilawal’s presser came hours after the arrest of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Secretary General Ahsan Iqbal by NAB in the Narowal Sports City (NSC) Project case. Bilawal said: “NAB-Niazi nexus is exposed with the arrest of yet another opposition politician.”