The PPP’s top leadership is quietly bracing for yet another legal battle with NAB chairman making his intentions loud and clear which is sure to raise the political temperature in the country in coming days.
The first to test the waters in a changed political environment and equation will be none other than Asif Zardari. He is due to appear before an accountability court in Rawalpindi on October 29. The court has summoned him in connection with various pending cases. The cases could not be opened due to the immunity enjoyed by Zardari as the president.
Zardari who has been facing security threats was recently in Pakistan, spent Eidul Azha in Larkana and Karachi. He was also due to arrive in Lahore in post-Eid period. But the PPP sources disclosed that Zardari had flown back to Dubai along with his son Bilawal Bhutto instead.
Sources privy to the party’s strategy for upcoming legal battle on hands, said that chances of Zardari appearing in person are quite dim at least on October 29.
“He would be mostly likely represented by his counsels in the accountability court,” a party source said.
But more trouble awaits two former PPP prime ministers, Yousaf Raza Gilani and Raja Pervez Ashraf, after the NAB chairman’s new instructions to activate all cases against them within 10 days.
NAB Chairman Qamar Zaman Chaudhry issued these instructions during his visit to NAB office in Rawalpindi. He directed the NAB officials to complete the investigations into major corruption cases reported during the PPP rule, including 12 cases of Rental Power Projects, and appointment of OGRA chief that feature both the ex-premiers.
The growing activism on the part of NAB has raised several eyebrows among the PPP leaders sure to feel the heat in coming days.
In a statement, Gilani termed the NAB’s new approach as discriminatory and part of witch-hunt against the PPP leadership which he added his party and leaders have gone through many times.
Gilani wondered as to why NAB was quiet on the case such as Asghar Khan, Hudaibia Papers Mills and money laundering.
Gilani observed that as the PM, in accordance with the rules of business, he used to receive summaries from ministries, divisions and cabinet and establishment divisions for the decision of the prime minister. He said whatever decisions he made were part of the standard practices and rules of business and not in his personal capacity.
He said that he was waiting to see NAB chairman starting Asghar Khan case on which the SC has asked the government to proceed against those found guilty. He said that in money laundering cases, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar has confessed to money laundering.
Gilani said that the PPP would defend whatever comes its way from NAB.
