ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi asked the prime minister to disband the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), which is pursuing multiple cases of graft against his colleagues and various members of the multi-party ruling coalition, and hold its staff accountable for “torturing them”.
“For years, the staff of the anti-corruption watchdog harassed and tortured politicians. It’s about time they be held accountable for their actions,” Abbasi told reporters in Islamabad.
The former prime minister accused agency chairman, retired Justice Javed Iqbal, of being under the thumb of his successor and claimed he took instructions from Imran Khan on cases involving opposition leaders.
Abbasi also congratulated the nation on “salvation from Naya Pakistan” and declared that the affairs of the anti-graft agency would be brought to light soon.
“Where has he [Khan] taken this country to? Either the country can run or the NAB. This government will have to decide now [on the future of NAB].”
He added: “It’s now time for the NAB chairman to answer. The officials who kept violating the law and committing corruption, [they] need to answer.”
Abbasi claimed there was a minister in Khan’s office who issued orders to Iqbal regarding lodging purportedly fake cases, arresting people and defaming them. “This is your NAB chairman … who stayed quiet on corruption Khan committed,” the PML-N leader claimed, without providing any evidence.
He also lamented that the agency couldn’t prove a single reference or inquiry against PML-N leaders in the last four years. “Why didn’t they investigate people who were involved in corruption worth billions [of rupees] and were sitting in the federal cabinet,” Abbasi demanded.
