close
Thursday March 28, 2024

NAB runs amok to fix Shahbaz

By Ansar Abbasi
November 26, 2018

ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) is frustratingly trying to find something concrete about Shahbaz Sharif’s corruption, commission or kickback and in this endeavour the bureau has recently summoned at least half a dozen of the federal secretaries including some reputed and leading members of Imran Khan’ bureaucratic team but failed to find anything as yet.

Referring to the NAB’s frustration, an informed source said that the NAB runs amok in its efforts to fix Shahbaz Sharif, who, in the first week of October, was summoned by the Lahore NAB in Saaf Pani case but arrested him in Ashiana Housing scheme case.

Later, no less than the Lahore NAB DG told TV channels that assets beyond means case is also being pursued against Shahbaz Sharif. Lahore NAB DG Shahzad Saleem also talked about the construction of drainage with millions of taxpayers’ money to facilitate Sharif’s sugar mill in Chiniot on the orders of Shahbaz Sharif. To the NAB’s dilemma, so far whatever it has claimed to have dug out against Shahbaz Sharif does not allege that the former chief minister had made money in any of the schemes or projects being probed. It has also been reflected in the interviews of Lahore NAB DG that the Bureau is considering making a case of misuse of authority against Shahbaz Sharif. The NAB has not yet filed any reference against Shahbaz Sharif though the Bureau’s Lahore DG had hinted that it would be done in a month time.

In the TV interviews, the Lahore NAB DG though claimed to have found enough material against Shahbaz Sharif, the sources in the Bureau confided to The News that a number of serving federal secretaries have been summoned and quizzed for hours by different teams of Lahore NAB during recent weeks in an effort to find something against Shahbaz Sharif.

“This ‘find something’ campaign has reached sickening proportion after NAB DG went public on a number of channels against Shahbaz Sharif," confirmed the sources and shared that the reputed incumbent Secretary Establishment Dr Ejaz Munir, who advises the prime minister on all matters pertaining to civil service, was summoned and quizzed for hours in effort to find something in “laptop for students scheme”.

These sources said that Imran Khan’s choice for the high profile post of FBR Chairman Jahenzeb Khan - again a highly reputed officer - has been summoned many times with regard to Punjab energy projects, which, according to the PML-N’s claims, are regarded as global success story. Recently retired secretary Aviation Irfan Ellahi, who served in Punjab as Chairman of Planning and Development, has also been summoned many times without any specific allegation.

The sources said that NAB also summoned former Secretary to PM, Javed Aslam, presently serving in Turkey - again without any specific ground but for vague questions pertaining to laptop scheme, when he was Additional Chief Secretary of Punjab ten years ago. Some other officers, who have worked with Shahbaz Sharif in the past, have also been summoned by NAB recently. Most of the officers are not sharing details with their friends and acquaintances due to fear of disrespect of family and personal repute.

A source claimed that one finds more bureaucrats in Lahore NAB than in the secretariat. NAB spokesman when contacted said the NAB is inquiring 56 companies case and for the same reason the bureaucrats concerned are being summoned to give them the chance to explain their position. The spokesman denied that it is being done to target Shahbaz Sharif.

The spokesman said, “The inquiries and investigations of NAB are being conducted on scientific basis on the basis of solid evidence as per law as all such inquiries passed through detailed and complete scrutiny of NAB’s Operation and Prosecution Division before discussion in Executive Board meeting which is the highest forum of the NAB. Therefore, the impression is not correct that NAB calling different bureaucrats for obtaining evidence against Punjab former CM.”

He added, “As per law, NAB provides ample and fair opportunity to officers/officials to have their point of view about the relevant project in order to ensure transparency and merit. NAB does not believe in any victimisation and NAB chairman has categorically directed to all the regional bureaus of NAB to ensure respect of every visitor who comes to NAB offices. Media is requested to kindly avoid speculations in this regard.” According to an official, who was recently interviewed by the Lahore NAB, a grade 17 inexperienced NAB officers questioned federal secretaries and tried to understand intricacies of law and finance. The source questioned the capacity and expertise of the NAB investigators.

The NAB working, the source said, has serious problems and thus requires judicial scrutiny and supervision of NAB actions to save others from harassment and injustices in the name of accountability. The source said that no less than the Supreme Court has repeatedly expressed its displeasure over NAB’s working and even warned NAB against “roving inquires.“ The SC judges in their observations have been saying that the courts would not allow harassment but still there is no institutional check on NAB which continues to invite criticism from different quarters.

There are also reports that NAB mistreats the accused in its custody. Some of them, it is said are kept in “solitary confinement “ which is not allowed under any law in the world. “Unfortunately, the accountability courts have failed to reign in the NAB,” a source complained. He referred to the statement of former Punjab University vice chancellor Mujahid Kamran, who shared how the accused are harassed, mistreated, tortured and humiliated in Bureau’s custody.

Constitution guarantees “human dignity” but NAB seems to be supra constitution, the source said, adding that now NAB has decided to get Mujahid Kamran’s bail cancelled because he spoke to media about state of affairs in Lahore NAB.