CM Usman Buzdar quizzed in liquor licence case, handed questionnaire

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar appeared on Wednesday before the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in a case pertaining to allegedly receiving Rs50 million in bribe to get a liquor licence issued to a hotel in violation of the law.

He turned up at the bureau’s Lahore office to record his statement without any protocol.

CM Buzdar was quizzed by a combined investigation team of the bureau for about one hour and forty minutes. He was handed a 12-page questionnaire to furnish replies to along with complete details by August 18.

Sources say the chief minister was handed the questionnaire after he failed to answer some of the questions put to him.

His hearing came a day after a violent clash between workers of the PML-N and police personnel outside NAB office shortly after the arrival of opposition party’s vice president Maryam Nawaz there in a land acquisition case.

CM Buzdar had announced to appear before the national graft buster alone, in stark contrast to the opposition party that instructed party workers and activists to receive their leader outside NAB office in a show of solidarity.

Last week, NAB issued a call up notice to CM Buzdar, asking him to appear before a combined investigation team on Aug 12 (today) at its Thokar Niazbaig provincial headquarters. He was instructed to bring relevant record regarding approval of the liquor licence.

On Aug 11, violence erupted outside the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) office as PML-N workers police contingents clashed shortly after the arrival of Maryam Nawaz there.

Many people, including policemen and NAB officials, were injured and more than 50 were arrested after police fired tear gas when the PML-N workers started pelting them and the NAB office with stones.