Khaqan Abbasi is PM only on paper: Fawad Chaudhry

–Says Fawad Hassan Fawad ruling the roost

–PTI lauds NAB for action against influential mafia

LAHORE: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has lauded the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for action against the most powerful influential mafia in the country.

PTI Information Secretary Fawad Chaudhry said that it was a historic day in Pakistan as the NAB issued notices to Interior Ministry to place ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Capt (r) Safdar’s names on the Exit Control List (ECL).

“It is a matter of pleasure that the state institution has somehow started working. It is the result of a long struggle waged by PTI Chairman Imran Khan who stood against the corrupt and got them disqualified through the Supreme Court (SC). We appreciate NAB Chief Javed Iqbal who converted a dysfunctional institution into a functional one,” he said while talking to reporters at the party’s Chairman Secretariat.

He said that the NAB chairman has given the message through notices that the powerful and influential mafia is not above the law. Nawaz Sharif’s daughter Maryam Nawaz and son Hussain Nawaz were equally involved in the corruption, he added.

“The PML-N government helped Ishaq Dar flee from the country on the plane of Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi. Railways Minister Saad Rafique is making housing societies. The NAB should also investigate the scandal of 56 companies, metro bus scam and irregularities in Ashiana Housing Society,” Fawad said.

He said that poverty and corruption are interlinked and his party’s narrative was against corruption. PTI and Imran were first ones to welcome the NAB notices from the core of their hearts, he added.

He further said that in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), ministers and MPAs are being investigated over corruption allegations.

Fawad claimed that Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi is the prime minister on papers only while Fawad Hassan Fawad is the one with actual power.

“PM Abbasi is the prime minister on papers only while Fawad Hassan Fawad is ruling the roost and is the de-facto prime minister,” he said, “He issues directions to cabinet ministers.”

“Fawad Hassan Fawad is involved in corruption to the tune of billions and aides the Sharif brothers,” he alleged.

He said that the Punjab government and the federal government were involved in giving resources and protocols the corrupt. He urged the NAB to take action against interior secretary and interior minister for not taking action against accused Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz and Captain (r) Safdar.

The NAB on Wednesday formally requested the Interior Ministry to place names of Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz and Capt (r) Safdar on the ECL.

The NAB dispatched two letters to the Interior Ministry, one asking for Nawaz Sharif’s name to be placed on ECL citing him as an accused in the Azizia Mills reference, Flagship reference and Avenfield properties reference.

In the second letter, it requested the interior ministry to place Maryam Nawaz and her husband Captain (r) Safdar’s names on the ECL as both are accused in the Avenfield properties reference.

This was Fawad Chaudhry’s first interaction with the media after his appointment as the party’s information secretary.