- Nisar says govt neither irked at nor afraid of NAB, endorses FIA’s performance
- Asks Sindh govt to move courts if they have any reservations, offers opposition parties briefings on mega scandals
- Says arrests made in Pathankot case, India to inform Pakistan five days before the investigation team’s arrival
Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan on Sunday said the federal government is neither afraid of, nor annoyed with the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and is not planning to clip the body’s powers.
Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, Nisar clarified that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had only advised NAB not to threaten businessmen and investors after receiving complaints from the community, Radio Pakistan reported.
“Two of the biggest enemies of PML-N ruled the country for 13 years but they couldn’t bring anything forward against us. Why would we be afraid now? The Bureau could not bring anything against the party in those years, how can they do it today,” Nisar said.
Chaudhry Nisar offered the opposition parties including PTI and Jamaat-e-Islami to receive a briefing from the government on all the mega scandals. He advised Sindh government to move courts in case of any reservations.
He said the prime minister had advised NAB not to harass investors and businessmen, who had complained to him about the intimidation by the NAB. The prime minister’s statement should be taken in this very perspective, he stressed.
“Prime Minister (PM) Nawaz Sharif’s statement never meant to clip NAB’s wings. His statement was in context of the concerns shared by businessmen about NAB troubling them,” said Nisar.
Nisar said that billions of rupees were plundered in the mega scandals and political people were involved in them. He said that these cases were so serious that not pursuing them would have been a crime of national level.
“If Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has any misunderstanding about the mega scandals, then I am ready to give a briefing to all the institutions concerned and even for judicial scrutiny,” he said.
Interior Minister said that there was no political intervention at any level in Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and that the institution was investigating many of the mega scandals. He said that Pakistan was a democracy and there were proper running courts here.
“I have presented my two-and-half-year performance for judicial scrutiny. If Sindh government has any reservations about any of the actions by NAB and FIA, then they may move courts too,” said Nisar.
“My offer is not conditional to former president Asif Ali Zardari’s return. Whether he comes back or not, if the PPP is ready for a judicial commission then the government would be ready for it too. We are ready to form a commission of judges agreed upon by all the opposition parties,” he added.
Nisar accused the previous PPP government of making money from Haj revenues , adding that other corruption scandals like “EOBI, PSO, Abandoned Properties Evacuee Trust, New Islamabad Airport and PIA” all emerged during the PPP regime.
He said the PPP was only trying to save Dr Asim Hussain by accusing FIA of trespassing. He said FIA has recovered over Rs 14.5 billion of looted money. He recommended to increase the salaries and other benefits of FIA officials.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday had said that the NAB is harassing government officers and bureaucrats are afraid of taking decisions including signing of files of different projects because of the “NAB harassment”.
“The NAB terrifies the government officers, hindering them from performing their duty.” the premier had said.
Commenting on Nawaz Sharif’s remarks, PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari said the FIA was also doing the same against the PPP.
“Mian Sahib, not only NAB but your FIA is also doing the same job. Dr Asim is not involved in corruption, and one of your ministers has also conceded this,” he said in a statement.
PTI’s lawyer had approached the Lahore High Court against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for undermining the independence of NAB.
PATHANKOT INVESTIGATION:
Talking about Pathankot attack investigation, the PML-N stalwart said that some arrests had been made in the case but it wasn’t necessary to make clear announcements about them.
“It is a highly sensitive issue. Media should avoid speculating,” the minister said. He assured that all the decisions will be made in accordance with the law.
Nisar added that a letter had been written to the Indian government for sending an investigation team there and the Indian side had responded by saying that they would inform the Pakistani government five days prior to the arrival.
“Our investigation team will reach India within the next few days,” he said. He said that India had shared a few telephone numbers with the government about the Pathankot incident, which have been added to the FIR.