Pakistan Today Editor Arif Nizami on Wednesday said that the federal government has reached an understanding with the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has forbidden his cabinet ministers and party leaders from giving statements critical of the accountability watchdog and its chairman, Qamar Zaman Chaudhry.
Speaking in his talkshow DNA on Channel 24, Nizami said that the government had decided not to defend the corruption charges against Punjab Education Minister Rana Mashhood or any other leader found involved in corruption.
“The government has decided that if Rana Mashhood or any other government minister is found involved in corrupt practices, the party will not make efforts to protect him,” he said.
Nizami said that the allegations were made against Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader and former petroleum minister that he had amassed through illicit means wealth that surpasses the total circular debt of Pakistan’s power sector. “I find this allegation hard to digest even though I cannot vouch for Dr Asim’s honesty. Dr Asim was first detained by Rangers for 90 days on charges of facilitating terrorists yet no formal charges were brought against him nor evidence presented in court to that effect. Now NAB has filed corruption references against the former minister so it was yet to be seen how NAB intends to frame the charges against him,” he said.
On Pakistan’s strategy in the Saudi-Iran conflict, Nizami said that informed sources had told him that Pakistan has conveyed to Iran that while it has very strong relations with Riyadh, it will not take active part in the Saudi-led military alliance in the Middle East.
