NAB chief takes notice of Mandviwalla’s allegations

Senate deputy chairman had called anti-graft watchdog a ‘blackmailing organisation’

ISLAMABAD:

National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal on Sunday took notice of the allegations levelled by Senate Deputy Chairman Saleem Mandviwalla against the anti-corruption watchdog and sought complete record of the graft case against him.

Earlier in the day, the Senate deputy chairman had called the NAB a “blackmailing organisation” and alleged that people went to the national graft buster only to seek plea bargain to save their honour.

Addressing a news conference in the federal capital, Mandviwalla said he had written letters to PM Imran Khan, COAS General Qamar Javed Bajwa and Law Minister Dr Fargoh Naseem stating that the actions of NAB were a cause for concern.

He said the matter will also be investigated in the Senate Committee on Human Rights.

The Senate deputy chairman maintained that PM Imran had earlier assured him of across the board accountability but currently, NAB was only “victimising” the opposition.

He also said for the first time in history the “Senate of Pakistan” was under the threat of NAB and that the bureau was creating chaos in the country.

The senator recalled that the National Commission on Human Rights and the Supreme Court had criticised NAB for violations of human rights.

"When institutions like NAB violate human rights in this country, why no one raises their voice against them?" he asked.

"When I speak against the bureau's wrongdoings, I am served a notice," he added.

Mandviwalla said members of the National Assembly and Senate “landed in trouble because of the NAB and people are blackmailed and humiliated in closed rooms during investigations”.

He vowed to take up the issue on the floor of upper house for discussion.

"NAB has accused me of making an anonymous transaction but I will show to the world that I have not done any such thing."

Mandviwalla further stated that he had been involved in different businesses for the past four generations but NAB Director General Irfan Mangi had accused him of not doing any “real business”.

“We must ask Engineer Irfan Mangi the basis of his promotion within the NAB. Earlier, I used to write letters to the prime minister but now I will reveal all the information I have to the media. All members of the NAB should disclose their assets too and I will raise this matter in the Senate,” he said.

The anti-corruption establishment had recently frozen Mandviwalla's assets in connection with a fake accounts case.

According to a report submitted by the bureau on Tuesday, the Senate deputy chairman had allegedly bought benami shares in the name of a person who was an accused in a fake accounts case.

Later that day, the Senate deputy chairman categorically denied the allegations, calling the case "unfair and prejudicial."

In a statement issued on Sunday, the NAB chief maintained that the bureau respected all the parliamentarians and ordered halting the proceedings of the case against Mandviwalla until further orders.

The statement further noted that the NAB chairman would decide about further proceedings of the case after examination of the record in accordance with the law and obtaining the version of Mandviwalla so that justice could be done.

Meanwhile, the anti-graft establishment chief directed all the regional bureaus not to seek record of any NAB case from any hospital of the provincial and federal governments during the prevalence of Covid-19 pandemic.

It was further said that in case of necessity, NAB may contact the relevant provincial or federal governments for obtaining the record.