Don’t just grill one, hold others accountable too, Nawaz says

• Deposed PM says ‘disastrous impact of books penned by Musharraf and Gen Aziz should also be probed’
• Lauds nominations of former CJP Nasirul Mulk as caretaker PM, Nasir Saeed Khosa as Punjab caretaker CM

ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday reiterated the need for a national inquiry commission comprising judges, military officials, lawmakers and other notables to ensure across-the-board-accountability.

Talking to reporters outside the accountability court, Nawaz said, “Accountability cannot be selective as action against one man would prove futile.”

He was commenting on the brouhaha surrounding the recent publication of former Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief Asad Durrani’s book ‘The Spy Chronicles’ that he has co-authored with former chief of India’s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), AS Dulat.

“The disastrous impact of books authored by former president Pervez Musharraf and former Chief of the General Staff (CGS) General Shahid Aziz Khan should also be investigated,” he said.

On Monday, the former spy chief reached Pakistan Army’s General Headquarters (GHQ) to explain his position in light of the military’s code of conduct as the “book states many facts that do not reflect the reality and might be considered as a violation of the code of conduct”.

Major General Asif Ghafoor, director-general of the Inter-Services Public Relations, wrote on Twitter that a formal Court of Inquiry headed by a serving lieutenant general had been ordered to probe the matter in detail, while Lt Gen Durrani’s name had been placed on the Exit Control List (ECL) till the investigation is completed.

Durrani’s summoning to the GHQ came after Nawaz and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Senator Raza Rabbani voiced their reservations over the book.

Commenting on the recent naming of Justice (r) Nasirul Mulk as caretaker premier, the former premier lavished praise on the ‘English’ judge. Terming Mulk an “outstanding” chief justice, Nawaz said he had done great service to the nation.

Queried on comments pertaining to the appointment of Justice Asif Saeed Khosa’s younger brother Nasir as interim Punjab chief minister, Nawaz said Nasir was a brilliant man. “It doesn’t matter if his name was presented by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. A man of good character makes a great candidate.”

“A politician isn’t narrow-minded,” he concluded.