Parliament be taken into confidence on Pathankot: Khursheed

Says it’s wrong on NAB’s part to arrest and interrogate a person for two years and then declare him innocent

SUKKUR: Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah on Saturday demanded that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif should take parliament into confidence over the Pathankot issue and the investigation process of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

Talking to the media here, the opposition leader said India was levelling baseless allegations against Pakistan on the Pathankot issue and the prime minister must bring the facts before the nation.

He said the prime minister should tell parliament on what grounds India had accused Pakistan of involvement in the Pathankot attack and after that the country would be able to defend itself.

He said all state institutions, including the judiciary and the executive, were answerable to parliament.

He said Nawaz Sharif did not support the PPP’s proposal in 2008 to dissolve NAB and now he should not be annoyed over its actions in the Punjab.

He said an across the board action should be taken against corrupt elements and no one should fume over the bureau’s actions.

He emphasised the need for making changes to the NAB investigation process.

“Elimination of corruption is vital for a prosperous society. If the prime minister has reservations about NAB, then he should discuss it in parliament instead of in public meetings.

There is a political motive behind the prime minister’s statement against NAB,” he said.

Addressing a public gathering, he said Nawaz Sharif stated people elect their political leadership but someone comes and removes them.

He said if the prime minister had given this statement in parliament then it would have enhanced his political image.

He said action should be taken against corrupt people present anywhere in the country but the process of NAB should be according to the law.

The NAB, he said, should provide a chance to the accused to record his statement before arrest.

He said it was a wrong practice by NAB to arrest a person, send him on a 90-day remand and then declare after two years that the accused was innocent.

He said tension among national institutions was not a good thing. 

He said the PPP had done record legislation in its tenure but the PML-N lacked efficiency which was the main reason behind the lack of legislation in parliament.