Asif demands parliamentary body to probe "govt's role" in NAB chief tape leaks

ISLAMABAD: Former defence minister and PML-N leader Khawaja Asif demanded on Monday formation of a parliamentary committee to probe the controversy over leaked audio and video clips of NAB chairman Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal.

Speaking on the floor of the National Assembly, he accused the PTI government of blackmailing the corruption watchdog’s chairman to save its own people.

Asif said most of the cases the NAB is dealing with at present are against members of the opposition and that there is no case being probed against those sitting on treasury benches.

He alleged the government got into its stride following the controversy to target the NAB chairman to save its own people. “The government’s role in blackmailing the NAB chairman is shameful,” he added.

The PML-N leader said PTI leader Jahangir Tareen has shares in the channel that aired the video clip involving the NAB chairman.

Terming the controversy an attempt to dent the NAB chairman’s credibility, he urged the NA speaker to constitute a parliamentary committee to probe into the affair.

Talking about the assault on the Khar Qamar check post at Boya in North Waziristan tribal district on Sunday, he lamented that no member has said anything about yesterday’s incident in Parliament, which he said, is a mockery of the house.

Asif said the country stood at a critical juncture in its history that it needs to fix the fault lines.

Condemning the attack, he said the Pakistan Army’s check post should not have been assaulted at any cost.