–NAB says it will continue to take action against corrupt individuals
–PPP says bureau’s action against Opp lawmakers tantamount to harassment
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) hit back at the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) after the latter accused PPP chief Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari of hurling “threats and undue allegations” to pressurise the bureau from “carrying out its duty”.
In a statement, NAB spokesperson declared Bilawal’s refusal to appear before its probing team contrary to assurance he had given to the watchdog’s Rawalpindi chapter in a letter. Through his counsel, the NAB spokesperson added, Bilawal submitted an application saying he had no objection to appearing before the investigators after January 15.
The statement was in response to the PPP chief, who had said that he would not appear before NAB’s investigation team in relation to a case involving the transfer of Rs1.22 billion to JV Opal from an account of Zardari Group of Companies.
“NAB is an institution that operates to eradicate corruption from the country in accordance with the law. It believes in recording statements from any individual in connection with an ongoing investigation so that the person concerned is not deprived of his legal right and that the legal obligations are fulfilled,” NAB added.
Taking exception to the NAB statement, Bilawal’s spokesperson, Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar said the claims made by NAB concerning Bilawal were “far from the truth”. He said that there was no divergence between the press conference of the PPP chief and the letter to the NAB.
Senator Khokhar said if NAB was following the law then why only opposition was the target of its activities. “The lawyers of the chairman in a letter to NAB declared the NAB’s notices as political harassment,” he said, adding that NAB’s “misstatements cannot restore NAB’s sagging reputation”.
He said that “the lawyers have also written in the letter that despite reservations, the PPP chairman was ready to appear before the bureau after 15 January”.
“Asking Chairman PPP to appear before NAB just three days before the martyrdom anniversary of his mother is not an impartial action. Everyone knows that Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and the PPP are busy in the preparation of the anniversary. PPP leadership will not be frightened by such tactics and will continue to represent the people of Pakistan,” the statement maintained.
Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar further stated that PPP has always respected law and constitution and its leadership has faced courts and never ran away from the country.
NAB is investigating fake accounts cases against Bilawal’s father and PPP Co-Chairperson Asif Zardari, and aunt, Faryal Talpur, who also have the shares in the Zardari Group. They both are among the key accused in a multi-billion rupees money laundering scandal that surfaced last year.
