Punjab govt pushes to reduce NAB’s powers

–Opposition remains absent during passage of anti-NAB resolution

–Shahbaz, Imran chaired Punjab’s parliamentary party meetings to formulate strategy for Senate polls

–PA passes Punjab Charities Bill

LAHORE: The Punjab Assembly, in an attempt to reduce National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) powers on Wednesday, passed an out-of-turn resolution against the ‘misuse’ of discretionary powers of the accountability bureau and termed its actions against the high officials of the bureaucracy of Punjab as immoral and inhuman.

The resolution moved by the Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan was passed with simple majority and no one from the house of 371 opposed it as the opposition benches presented a deserted look at that time because the main opposition party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) left the house just before the resolution to meet PTI Chairman Imran Khan at a local hotel situated just adjacent to the Punjab Assembly.

“This house shows severe concerns over the actions of NAB that are against the spirit of basic human rights and human dignity. The actions of NAB to intimidate and ridicule the officers of high government ranks are illegal,” the text of the resolution said, adding that the releasing of photographs of officers after their arrest on the media was also immoral.

The resolution further stated that every institution including the NAB was bound to ensure the basic human rights and the house suggested that the Majlis-e-Shura (Parliament) take necessary measures in order to debate the issue.

“Moreover, amendments should be made in the National Accountability Bureau Ordinance 1999 to abolish the illegal powers and the section of plea bargain must also be abolished because this very section provides a safe exit to plunderers and corrupt people,” the resolution said.

It is worth mentioning here that the Punjab government is in hot waters since the arrest of one of the most powerful bureaucrats from Punjab, Ahad Khan Cheema, by the accountability watchdog who is considered to be one of the most trustworthy officers of Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The PTI-led opposition staged a massive protest the day when Cheema was promoted to grade 20 just one day after his arrest and the actions of NAB were lauded by the opposition as well but surprisingly not a single legislator from the opposition benches was present in the house when the treasury passed the resolution condemning the actions of NAB.

Imran, Shahbaz chaired Punjab’s parliamentary party meetings:

Earlier in the day, the attendance of lawmakers from both the treasury and opposition benches were overwhelming as MPAs from both the Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) and PTI came in droves to have a meeting with their party leaders Imran Khan and Shehbaz Sharif who were there at Avari Hotel and 90-Shahra-e-Quaid-e-Azam (CM House) respectively just adjacent to the Punjab Assembly to devise a strategy for Senate elections scheduled for March 3. Both Imran Khan and Shahbaz Sharif had detailed meetings with their parliamentary party members from Punjab for the Senate polls.

Moreover, the pandemonium in the Punjab Assembly continued for the third consecutive day during the protest of opposition against Shehbaz Sharif over the Multan Metro Bus project. The opposition said that CM was involved in the corruption scam of the project. The dais of the speaker was once again surrounded by the PTI-led opposition during the anti-government sloganeering. Arif Abbasi, a PTI MPA from Rawalpindi unplugged his microphone in anger when he was not allowed to speak by the chair. Speaker Rana Muhammad Iqbal told him that a disciplinary action would be taken against him over his rude behaviour in the august house. The opposition also pointed out quorum at two times but treasury remained successful in meeting the required quorum on both occasions.

Answers related to the food and agriculture departments were given by Parliamentary Secretary for Food Chaudhry Assad Ullah and Agriculture Minister Naeem Bhabha during the Question-Hour. The treasury also passed The Punjab Charities Bill in the government business, while The Punjab Land Revenue (Amendment) Bill and The Registration (Punjab Amendment) Bill were also introduced in the house. Later, the session was adjourned until Friday morning.

Previously, on February 23, officers belonging to the District Management Group (DMG) locked down their offices in protest against, what they termed as an “unlawful arrest” of the former Lahore Development Authority (LDA) director general Ahad Cheema by NAB.

The protest call was given by Punjab Additional Chief Secretary Umar Rasool.

During a meeting with the CM, the officers demanded Cheema’s release, saying that if his arrest was necessary he should have been taken into custody properly and not in an “unlawful” way.