Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s recent statement over the performance of NAB was challenged by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s (PTI) leader Gohar Nawaz Sindhu in the the court and called it an interference in the working of the accountability body.
“Prime Minister has issued this statement to exert pressure over the NAB.” Politicians want to impede NAB in its action against the corrupt people,” he said in his petition.
The petitioner requested the court to order the government not to intervene in the functioning of NAB.
The court after preliminary hearing of the arguments summoned replies from the parties within three weeks.
PM warning
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had criticized the corruption watchdog and threatened to clip its wings over “harassment of government officers”. He had said that bureaucrats were afraid of taking decisions because they were fearful of NAB harassment.
NAB terrifies government officers and hinders them from performing their duties, while NAB officials enter the houses and offices of ‘innocent people’ without verifying the authenticity of the charges against them, he had said.
The prime minister’s views were also echoed by the leader of opposition Syed Khursheed Shah in a statement. Talking to media he said that he had hoped that NAB would hold all people equally accountable, but many political parties had complained that unlike Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, the bureau was doing nothing in Punjab, which was run by the ruling PML-N.
NAB vows improved accountability
Following the prime minister’s criticism of NAB, the accountability bureau had regretted that it had “inherited some problems that hampered its investigation process”.
NAB spokesperson Nawazish Ali Asim issued an official statement that vowed to improve the accountability process in line with the PM’s criticism and directives.
