Broadsheet saga: NA body summons NAB chief to explain 'huge payoff'

Chairman National Assembly's Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting Javed Latif on Thursday summoned the chief of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), saying he must explain as to why the UK-based firm Broadsheet was paid-off 'billions'.

"Pakistan had to pay billions just because of one institution's fault," Latif said while chairing the meeting of the committee today. He expressed displeasure over the pay-off of the huge sum from the national exchequer to the foreign firm.

Latif noted that the country had to face embarrassment due to the Broadsheet saga, adding the top graft watchdog changed its statement multiple times. "Why did the NAB believe that the money went to the wrong account following the London High Court's ruling in this regard," he questioned and said, "Chairman NAB must tell under which government's tenure did it happen".

Also read: Why is PM Imran confident about foreign funding case?

During the meeting, Information Minister Shibli Faraz said the NAB chief should not be summoned to give an explanation. "The Committee may summon everyone involved in the transactions if it wants to get an explanation from the NAB chief," he maintained.

However, Latif said the government shouldn't give an impression as if it was defending the NAB chief.

On Wednesday, the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) presented its charter of demand to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) over the alleged delay in deciding the foreign funding case against the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).