NAB questions Nawaz in Toshakhana case

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The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Friday handed over a questionnaire to incarcerated Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif in Toshakhana luxury and bulletproof vehicles references which were filed against him a few days ago, according to reports.

Reportedly, the three-member NAB team questioned the former premier for about an hour in Kot Lakhpat Jail before giving him the questionnaire which he said he would return to the anti-graft watchdog after consulting his legal advisers.

The former premier told the NAB team that it was not his duty as the premier to keep a check on the gifts and presents he received. “I had submitted all the presents in the national treasury,” he added.

He also told NAB that he was legally and constitutional mandated to use the luxury and bulletproof vehicles as he was the prime minister of the country at the time. “The record can be checked anytime,” he added.

On July 1, an accountability court in Islamabad allowed the bureau to interrogate Nawaz in Toshakhana vehicle case.

The NAB had sought permission to question the PML-N supremeo who is in jail after he was sentenced to spend seven years in prison in the Al-Azizia case by a NAB court.

A NAB official informed the judge that Nawaz had illegally acquired a luxury vehicle from Toshakhana on payment of 20 per cent of the total amount in taxes and duty.

The vehicle was gifted by the government of Saudi Arabia in 1997.

The former premier is currently serving seven-year prison term awarded to him in the Al-Azizia reference.

Earlier in March, this year, a NAB team had recorded the statement of the former premier in connection with its investigation into alleged personal use of bulletproof vehicles imported for the SAARC summit 2016 inside the jail.