NAB: Nabbed by establishment

Till the big date, at least

“NAB officials barge into houses and offices of innocent people without verifying the authenticity of corruption or other charges, if there were any,” said Nawaz Sharif last week while speaking at a worker’s convention in Bahawalpur.

He further added that the PML-N government was considering amending the laws in case NAB did not fall in line.

Such a strong worded statement by none other than the country’s prime minister raised many eyebrows as many thought it was due to NAB beginning to probe into cases in Punjab.

Before the ‘accountability’ tide turned towards Punjab, PPP had been vocal about NAB’s one-sided actions against them in Sindh.

Prominent journalist Mubashir Zaidi says the problem with NAB is that it was created with the intent of victimising the opposition by Nawaz Sharif in 1997.

“There was an existing Ehstesab Commission, which was headed by a retired Supreme Court judge, Justice (R) Ghulam Mujaddid Mirza. Nawaz Sharif formed NAB, which was then headed by Senator Saif-ur-Rehman, with the intention of opening corruption cases against opposition parties,” he said.

After Musharraf overthrew Sharif’s government in ’99, it was among his seven-point agenda to activate NAB and bring reforms to it.

“It was clear from the start that accountability would be selective,” added Zaidi.

During Zardari’s tenure, NAB didn’t act against any big name but low-ranking bureaucrats who were facing corruption charges.

However, for the past few months, NAB has gone after those considered big fish in the country, thus fetching strong criticism – the strongest voice being that of PPP’s.

It all started right after PML-N’s coming into power as PPP came under the fire when ex Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf was grilled by NAB over his suspected involvement in the illegal appointment of OGRA Chairman Tauqeer Sadiq.

During Ranger’s operation in Karachi last year, petroleum minister during PPP’s tenure, Dr Asim Hussain, was arrested over corruption charges. NAB filed a reference against him and five others yesterday over charges of corruption involving Rs462.5 million.

NAB officials disclosed they were probing into corruption charges worth Rs5 billion against ex PPP Information Minister Sharjeel Memon.

NAB hinted at a thorough investigation of Punjab-based projects like Metro Bus, Orange Train and LNG, which brought the wrath of PM Nawaz Sharif.

Many newspapers have reported that the current NAB chairman does not allow the PML-N government to meddle into the Bureau’s affairs, thus raising suspicions of a possible nexus with the establishment.

“PM Nawaz Sharif has realised NAB is nothing more than a tool to victimise political parties as he now faces the monster he created,” Zaidi said.

There is a growing belief that NAB is being used by the military establishment to dig out cases against politicians.

Giving the example of Dr Asim, Zaidi stated: “When he was arrested, it was alleged that he’d been involved in terror financing – a charge that was never proved. It was not even included in the reference put forward by NAB a few days ago.”

A local newspaper reported last month that “a senior military official had called on NAB Chairman Qamar Zaman Chaudhry in July last year and assured him of the army’s full support to the Bureau in investigating the DHA Valley scam.”

However, it fizzled out soon as nothing really came up in the case. It was considered another PR act by the proactive military to show their intent of across the board action.

Ayaz Amir, a journalist and columnist, wrote in The News that it’s not chairman NAB who is the problem but “problem lies elsewhere, in the military holdovers – the brigadiers and colonels – below the chairman who are not beholden to the Sharifs.”

The Sharif brothers take stay orders from the courts to avoid the several cases against them.

“There are some cases against PM and his close aides that are making them squeal because stay orders may not suffice anymore,” said Amir.

Anchor and journalist Nasim Zehra believes corruption cases against everyone, irrespective of their power and position, currently on NAB’s list since many years must now be processed transparently.

“This is the only way to end the decade’s old practice of sacrificing genuine accountability at the altar of political expediency,” she added.

The role of electronic media has been especially despicable as many feel anchors get away with mudslinging against politicians based on the information fed to them by NAB or Rangers.

“Media is hugely under the influence of the military establishment and most of the anchors are toeing their lines with information that is usually unproven as they don’t probe into the matters on their own” said Zaidi.

In the coming days the pressure, Zehra believes, will be on the politicians. “Accountability of powerful people might be lost in the demand for reforming NAB or both accountability and reform would proceed,” she adds.

Zaidi is of the opinion that a channel has been opened between military and NAB, which he expects will remain open.

Amir is also of the opinion that this will continue till November, when Raheel Sharif retires. “I think the talks of accountability, reforms in NAB and operation in Punjab will continue as the big month nears,” he concluded.