Angered by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB)’s report to the Supreme Court on 150 mega scams in which several senior politicians were also named, the federal government has hinted that it is considering moving a reference against the corruption watchdog’s chief for “undermining the Parliament and for failing to perform as per the government’s expectations”.
Talking to journalists after an Iftaar dinner here on Saturday, National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq said that the government was not satisfied with NAB Chairman Qamar Zaman Chaudhry’s performance and would likely bring a reference against him. “An investigating committee of the National Assembly can also be formed to investigate NAB affairs. No one should have any misunderstanding about the authority of the parliament,” said Sadiq,
“Questions have arisen on what NAB is doing and who will hold it accountable,” he said, adding that the government had forwarded several cases of corruption of billions of rupees but the Bureau was sitting on them without any reason.
Reacting to the National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) report to the SC on Tuesday which highlighted corruption cases against the country’s top leadership, Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid on Wednesday had said that no institution has the right to defame anyone without proof.
Talking to reporters outside Parliament House, Rashid had said that an accountability of NAB should also be held for registering baseless cases against respected political leaders.
“NAB was created to eradicate corruption from the government institutions but in the days of dictatorship, it was used for witch-hunt of political opponents,” he said, adding that the purpose of the recent NAB report was to defame the political leadership of the country.
“NAB has tried to malign the popularity of the elected Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who was voted to power by 180 million people of Pakistan for the third time in 2013 elections, Shahbaz Sharif who has been elected chief minister of Punjab for the third time and Ishaq Dar, who has revived crisis-ridden economy of the country,” he said.
Rashid said the track record shows that the NAB has failed to play an effective role in eradication of corruption from society. “It also failed to bring to book the corrupt elements,” he added.
He said a housing society, a university and a hospital have been constructed on piece of land where the NAB alleged that Sharif brothers built a road from Raiwind to their family home.
“If the road was not built how the residents of the housing society, patients in the hospital and the university students would reach their destinations,” he questioned.
Rashid called for legislation under which the prosecution will have to prove charges within stipulated time. “If in a case, the prosecution fails to prove the charges within 15 years the case should be withdrawn,” he had said.
150 MEGA SCANDALS:
The NAB document presented in the apex court on Tuesday lists 50 cases each of monitory irregularities, misuse of powers and land scams.
The report shows that among the monitory irregularities, enquiries are being conducted in 22 cases, with investigations launched into 13 cases and references in 15 cases.
Similarly, in land scams, 29 cases are under inquiry, investigations are underway in 13 cases while references have been filed in eight cases.
Enquiries are underway in 20 cases of abuse of power, while investigations into 15 cases have kicked off and references have been filed in 15 cases.
Among others, the report reveals that an enquiry is being carrying out against the incumbent prime minister and his brother in a case pertaining to construction of a road from Raiwind to Sharif family house worth Rs 126 million.
It also states that an enquiry is under process against Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain in an assets beyond resources case worth Rs 2,428 billion. A case of the same nature was also filed against the sitting treasury minister Ishaq Dar. He is under enquiry for three cases of 23 million pound, $3,488 million and $1,250 million.
The report states that a case was also being heard against Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari for having assets beyond resources. Investigations are also in process against Zardari for corruption of $22 billion and $1.5 billion.
The report was submitted after the SC judges expressed disappointment over what they said was an extreme form of maladministration in the bureau.