Govt, opposition in Broadsheet war of attrition

ISLAMABAD:

A war of attrition broke out between the government and the opposition on Friday over the appointment of former Supreme Court judge Azmat Saeed Sheikh as head of the Broadsheet inquiry committee.

The two major opposition parties – the PML-N and the PPP – rejected the government’s decision, citing his past affiliation with the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) as creating a "conflict of interest"..

The government has, however, rebuffed the objections raised against Justice (retd) Sheikh, alleging that the opposition wants to see a yes-man “like Justice Qayyum” to head the inquiry panel.

PML-N’s spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb on Friday issued a statement at the party’s official Twitter account rejecting Justice (retd) Sheikh’s appointment as head of the Broadsheet probe committee, citing his past affiliation with the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) as creating a "conflict of interest".

"Handing over the probe to those who should [themselves] be investigated is the murder of justice. [Prime Minister] Imran Khan, you must show some courage and tell the nation that you need a NRO (reprieve)," Marriyum said in a series of posts.

She claimed that appointment of the retired SC judge was a "big fraud" since Justice Sheikh had served as NAB deputy prosecutor general during the original signing of the Broadsheet agreement. According to her, he was also one of the negotiators in the deal that was struck in 2000.

In a statement, she claimed that Justice Sheikh was also a member of the board of governors of the Shaukat Khanum Hospital – a charity hospital started by Imran Khan. “This showed PM Imran's ill-intent behind handing over the Broadsheet inquiry to him,” she said.

Senior PML-N leaders including former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi also addressed a press conference in which they requested the former judge not to accept the government’s offer.

Abbasi said Justice (retd) Sheikh was working for the people who signed the agreement with Broadsheet in 2000 and that he was part of this agreement. He claimed that Sheikh was working for the people who allegedly committed corruption of billions through this agreement.

He said he did not expect that the commission would unearth the facts about the scandal and tell the public as to who wasted Rs1,000 crore of the nation. "It is the former judge’s test today. He should not make himself controversial by becoming chairman of the inquiry commission," Abbasi added.

"We demand that an uncontroversial person be made chairman of this commission with the permission of the parliament and proceedings of the commission be made public," he added.

PPP leader Nayyar Bukhari also issued a statement which said that the appointment of Justice (retd) Sheikh showed the PTI government's dishonesty and that the purpose of his appointment was to cast all blame of the Broadsheet saga on the opposition and former governments.

“The PPP is concerned over the appointment due to the former judge's past affiliation with NAB and the Shaukat Khanum hospital. Probe into the Broadsheet case under such circumstances is like throwing dust in the eyes of the nation," he added.

The government was, however, quick to reject the opposition’s objections to the proposed head of the commission with Minister for Interior Sheikh Rashid claiming that the opposition wanted to see a person like Justice (retd) Quyyum –a judge who became controversial because of his alleged links with the PML-N  – to head the key commission.

“The Broadsheet issue would be Panama-2 of Pakistan in the upcoming two to three months. $100 million worth property of the PML-N top leader could surface from the scandal,” the minister said while addressing a press conference at a local hotel in Karachi.

Minister for Science Fawad Chaudhry also hailed the decision to appoint Justice (retd) Azmat Saeed Sheikh to the position. “The opposition wants someone like [former chief justice] Iftikhar Chaudhry or Justice Qayyum to head the commission,” he said.

Minister for Information Shibli Faraz on Thursday announced that Justice (retd) Azmat Saeed Sheikh will lead the inquiry commission to examine the circumstances related to the Broadsheet agreement and subsequent arbitration proceedings that resulted in substantial loss to the national exchequer.

Talking to the media at the Parliament House after a meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee, Faraz said the notification of the inquiry committee would be issued in a day or two.

The minister said the issue had surfaced now but it started in 2000, adding that the inquiry committee would look into every aspect of the scandal. “All Broadsheet characters will be exposed,” he said.

The newly-formed inquiry commission will be empowered to summon any individual and call for the record from any organisation and department as it deems fit, he added.

Following the last cabinet meeting, the minister had said that the purpose of the inquiry is to establish facts, determine accountability and learn lessons for the future litigation and arbitration proceedings.

The Broadsheet LLC was incorporated in the Isle of Man to help Pervez Musharraf's government and the newly established NAB track down foreign assets purchased by Pakistanis through ill-gotten wealth.

After NAB terminated the contract in 2003, Broadsheet and another company involved as a third party filed for damages in a UK court.

It claimed that Pakistan owed them money according to the terms agreed upon since the government was taking action to confiscate some of the assets they had identified, including the Avenfield property owned by the Sharif family.

The companies' claims against Pakistan were held valid by an arbitration court and later by a United Kingdom high court that gave an award of over $28 million against Pakistan last year.