Saad Rafique cautions against political anarchy over 'excessive' accountability

LAHORE: Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique on Monday said the excessive use of the courts and anti-graft bodies has been stoking up anarchy and uncertainty in the country.

Taking to his official Twitter account, Rafique said some unscrupulous elements in political parties and the state institutions intend to weaken democracy in the country.

“A smear campaign is ongoing against ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the party led governments [federal and provincial],” he tweeted.

He lamented that every pro-democratic figure in the country declared a threat to internal security after tagged as “traitor” and “thief” for last 70 years.

مسلسل 70 برس جمہوریت پسندوں کو غدار اور چور قرار دیکر ملکی سالمیت کے لئے خطرہ قرار دیا گیا –

ھر بار موقع ملنے پر عوام نے ووٹ انھیں ھی دیا –
الیکشن ھوا تو اس بار بھی یہی ھو گا –
پیارے منصفو اور محتسبو ! اب بس بھی کر دو -خدارا پاکستان کو چلنے دو –

— Khawaja Saad Rafique (@KhSaad_Rafique) February 26, 2018

However, the railway minister said the people have always expressed confidence in them after casting their votes for them in the elections.

“And this is going to happen again [in General Elections 2018]. Dear judges and accountability people! Let Pakistan progress,” he further said.

The tweets have been made at a time when Rafique’s ownership of Paragon Housing Society is making rounds on print and electronic media.

On Sunday, the minister had served  a defamation notice to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) information secretary Fawad Chaudhry for his comments about Rafique with regard to his alleged ownership of the housing society.

Ashiana Housing scam

The matter of Paragon Housing Society has been raised at a time when National Accountability Bureau (NAB) is investigating a mega corruption scam, Ashiana Housing Scheme.

Presently, the anti-corruption watchdog has arrested two accused in connection with their involvement in the scam. Former Director General (DG) Lahore Development Authority (LDA) Ahad Cheema is under physical remand of NAB.

On Sunday, the NAB produced Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Bismillah Engineering Services Shahid Shafiq before a court under stringent security measures. A judicial magistrate granted one-day physical remand of Shafiq to the anti-corruption watchdog.

According to NAB officials, Shafiq’s company was part of Lahore Casa Developers, a joint venture, which has been declared ineligible to receive contract.

A sigment of the provincial bureaucracy of Punjab has expressed its concerns over arrest of the former LDA officer Ahad Cheema.