ISLAMABAD: The central executive committee (CEC) of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Friday told National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman Justice (r) Javed Iqbal to provide proof against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in the money laundering probe or step down.
According to sources within the party, the committee members at a five-hour-long meeting agreed to pursue legal proceedings against all those responsible for ‘spreading lies’ in the money laundering probe. It was decided that Nawaz Sharif will approach the Supreme Judicial Council with a plea for initiating legal proceedings against the NAB chairman.
A resolution condemning the allegations levelled by the NAB chief against Nawaz Sharif was adopted in the meeting. A statement issued by the committee after the meeting condemned the ‘extremely irresponsible’ statement by NAB chairman based on a ‘false media report’. “The report which was made the basis of ordering a probe into the alleged money laundering was itself refuted by both World Bank and the State Bank of Pakistan,” read the statement. There is no mention of money laundering or any individual in the report published by the World Bank, it added.
The statement read that the party supports Nawaz Sharif’s demand that the NAB chairman provide evidence supporting his allegations at the earliest or resigns from his post. Participants of the meeting claimed that the NAB chairman had also denied that the report which the watchdog is investigating has been refuted by the WB and the SBP, according to the press release.
The CEC meeting participants unanimously concluded that every person responsible for the ‘lie’ must be revealed and that all steps must be taken to prosecute them under the Pakistani law, the statement said. They also pledged that they would foil every conspiracy and tactic against Nawaz Sharif through constitutional, legal and democratic struggle, which will continue until all stains of falsehood are erased through a show of massive public support, according to the statement.
Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif, PML-N Chairman Senator Raja Zafarul Haq, Sardar Mehtab Abbasi and National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq attended the meeting.
Also in attendance were Nawaz’s daughter Maryam, Shehbaz’s son Hamza Shehbaz, State Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, Federal Railways Minister Saad Rafique, Senator Mushahid Hussain, AJK Prime Minister Farooq Haider, Barjees Tahir, Senator Pervaiz Rashid and Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah.
Earlier, talking to reporters at the accountability court hearing corruption cases against him, the three-time prime minister said, “How much worse can things get now … such situations did not even occur during military dictatorships. Those who disqualified me from parliament for life and then denied me the party presidency should think about what they are doing to the country.”
Sharing a story, Nawaz said an SP in Rajanpur once admonished a constable over poor cleanliness, saying he would be transferred for laxity. “The constable shot back saying his superior can do as he pleases since there is no police station after Rajanpur and no rank below constable,” he added.
Meanwhile, a resolution demanding the resignation of NAB chairman was tabled in the Punjab Assembly by PML-N’s Hina Parvez Butt. The resolution stated that the NAB chairman had lost confidence as he had issued a notification against Nawaz Sharif on the basis of a false report. “This makes it clear that Nawaz Sharif is being made a victim of revenge,” the resolution claimed. “The NAB chairman has levied ridiculous and absurd allegations that Nawaz Sharif laundered Rs 4.98 billion to India, whereas the WB report does not clearly mention money laundering or Sharif’s name. No organisation or leader has the authority to violate the basic rights of any Pakistani citizen,” the resolution said, and demanded that the NAB chairman should immediately resign from his post and there should be an investigation into his alleged misuse of authority. It also called for the chief justice to take suo motu notice of the case.
It is expected that the resolution will be taken up in the assembly session scheduled for Monday.
Published in Daily Times, May 12th 2018.
