KARACHI/ISLAMABAD/LAHORE/ MULTAN: Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Accountability Shahzad Akbar says people should not fear the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) if they have not committed any white-collar crime, adding that the ongoing inquiries and probes will also fall within the ambit of the NAB Amended Ordinance 2019.
As per the NAB Ordinance 2019, any reference of misuse of authority against an accused would not be filed if the evidence of corruption or taking commission was not prosecutable; everyone can get the benefit except convicts. Those who did not do corruption should not fear the NAB.
Talking to the Geo News’ Naya Pakistan on Sunday, Shahzad Akbar said even if a reference had been filed but evidence could not be presented about corruption or taking commission, then the accused would get relief from the courts.
When host Shahzad Iqbal informed the adviser that the NAB had filed a reference of Rs700 million in the Ashyana Housing Scheme scam but it did not accuse Shahbaz Sharif of corruption,Shahzad said if there was no allegation of corruption, the NAB will not deal with such cases. “If someone is accused of corruption and a reference has been filed against them, then they can move the court for relief. In such cases, the burden of proof rests with the NAB,” he said, adding that except for convicts, all could get relief from the NAB Ordinance 2019.
Asked if the PML-N leaders, including former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, federal ministers Ahsan Iqbal and Miftah Ismail, could also get relief in cases where the NAB had not accused them of corruption, Shahzad said people not indulging in corruption should not fear the NAB.
Replying to a question of not amending the law concerning plea bargain, remand, and arrest, Shahzad Akbar firmly stated that the government did not think it necessary to change the said law.
Meanwhile, addressing a joint press conference with Federal Minister for Communications and Postal Services Murad Saeed in Islamabad, Shahzad Akbar said the National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) job was to ‘catch corruption and not to fix institutions’. Shahzad said his motive to hold a briefing was to speak about the NAB Amendment Ordinance, 2019, which was approved by the federal cabinet and promulgated by President Dr Arif Alvi on Friday. He said there was a lot of talk on the issue, necessitating a clarification. “Implementation of prior wishes to amend the NAB laws failed because they were ill-intentioned; however, the amendments we made are in front of everyone," he added.
“The amendment will be presented to parliament and anyone wishing to improve it is welcome. Nonetheless, if anyone desires personal gain, they will not get it from the incumbent government,” he said. He said economy had left the intensive care unit (ICU) and was on the path to betterment. "We have now started moving towards progress, and the institutions are being improved by strengthening them," he added. He noted that alongside the economic restoration, it was evident that the institutions' reputation was also being rebuilt. "It’s being said that bureaucracy is being given some leeway; that includes politicians and bureaucracy both. There is also a misconception that the NAB cannot go above or below a particular account," he said.
Underlining that a curse of corruption had spread in the society, the special assistant said strict legislation was required to fix it. “Those who engaged in corruption or benefited from kickbacks should be given strict punishment,” he added. "If someone's case came to the NAB just because they made some decision, then that was uncalled for," he said, adding, that the anti-graft watchdog did not deal with the tax-related issues but that was the Federal Board of Revenue’s (FBR) job.
"Are tax matters a corruption issue? It’s not like someone is being given any tax-related leeway with the passing of these laws. Those matters will be overseen by the relevant institutions."
He clarified that the NAB laws would not be applicable to anyone having no links to holders of any public offices. Its “job is to catch corruption, not fix institutions,” he said.
"Defects in methodology isn’t the NAB's authority; for that, departmental action is required. The NAB will deal wherever there’s corruption but whenever there's a fault in methodology, the relevant institution will deal with it by themselves. There won't be any action on just a suggestion or advice unless there's a proven benefit to it," he noted.
Referring to the so-called Abu Bachao campaign, he said there could not be any cooperation on it and that had been made clear. "Accountability is the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) slogan and we cannot step back from it," he added.
Speaking on the occasion, Federal Minister for Communications and Postal Services Murad Saeed on Sunday said the government had stabilised the economy and 2020 would be the year of progress and prosperity. He said Rs24,000 billion loans were taken by the past regimes during their last 10 years in power. Murad said accountability will continue and the plundered national wealth would be recovered from the corrupt elements. Murad said his ministry had recovered around Rs11.9 billion from its own departments. He said the PTI soon after coming into power focused on good governance, revival of national economy and elimination of corruption. He said Prime Minister Imran Khan and his team had rescued economy that was sinking. He said a Loan Probe Commission constituted by the prime minister would soon release its report.
He said the government was initiating the Ehsaas Kafalat programme in which Rs192 billion would be spent on the welfare of poor people. He said under the scheme, orphans, widows and poor people would be provided with special assistance. The minister said the government was working on reforms agenda, adding that an improvement was coming in all the institutions including the Pakistan International Airline, NHA, Pakistan Post and Pakistan Steel Mills.
He also criticized Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and former president Asif Ali Zardari, saying there would be no National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) for Bilawal.
Talking to the media persons after attending the Qul of mother of religious scholar Shafqat Bhutta in Multan, Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Sunday said the ordinance amending the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) law was neither an NRO nor was it aimed at hiding corruption.
He said the government had zero tolerance for corruption. The opposition parties, he said, were making an undue criticism of the NAB Ordinance, as it was their habit to criticise every step taken by the government. He said the same opposition leaders were earlier demanding amendments to the NAB laws but now they had resorted to criticism without even going through the new ordinance.
He said the businessmen community was disturbed by the strict NAB laws, which ultimately was adversely affecting the economy. “Some businessmen and government officials were held by the NAB due to procedural flaws, which also worried others. The procedural lapses have now been done away with in the amended NAB Ordinance and now businessmen should work without any fear,” he added.
Qureshi said the PPP had also been demanding amendments to the NAB laws. The opposition parties better talk to the government and present their recommendations to further improve the law instead of doing criticism, he added. The government, however, would not allow any misuse of public money, he said. There were other institutions to deal with tax evasion and some other issues, he added.
Meanwhile, in a series of tweets, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan Sunday said Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Jihad against corruption was continuing with full force. She said the NAB was supposed to carry out action against mega corruption scandals and it would do its job with reinforced commitment.
She said action would definitely be taken against those government employees who had secured personal interests through procedural flaws or departmental lacunas. She said public office holders, who have increased their assets manifold, misusing authority would not be spared of action.
Dr Firdous said under the National Accountability Bureau Amendment Ordinance, honest public office-holders would be able to make decisions in public interest fearlessly to perform their constitutional responsibilities. She regretted that the PML-N spokespersons, who frequently spoke against NAB, were doing politics on the NAB Amendment Ordinance. She said even the strong opponents of Imran Khan had failed and would fail to level allegations of corruption against him.
She said Imran Khan had no fear of accountability as the country's apex court had declared him truthful and righteous.
Meanwhile, the opposition on Sunday termed the NAB Amendment Ordinance 2019 ‘the mother of all NROs’ saying the government had launched a political witch-hunt making accountability a joke.
In a tweet, Chairman Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Sunday declared the National Accountability Bureau a ‘farce’ calling for its abolition to strengthen the anti-corruption laws.
He said the NAB and economy could not run together after the NAB Amendment Ordinance. Instead of clearly biased efforts, the government should work with the opposition, he said. “Do your job and legislate and abolish NAB to strengthen anti-corruption laws and end this farce,” he said in a tweet.
Meanwhile, PPP leader Qamar Zaman Kaira Sunday declared the NAB Amendment Ordinance the ‘Mother of all NROs’ adding that it was promulgated to protect the friends and allies of prime minister.
“When former president Asif Ali Zardari said the NAB and economy could not go together, the PTI said the PPP was asking for the NRO. Today, the government by introducing the NAB Ordinance has in fact given NRO Plus to its cronies,” he said. He said the ordinance was promulgated to avoid investigation in Malam Jabba and BRT Peshawar so that their allies and friends could be protected.
“This is another U-turn by Imran Khan and the last U-turn of his political life is also round the corner,” he added. Kaira said the NAB could not conduct accountability of the judiciary, the army, rulers and bureaucracy except for the opposition parties.
Replying to a question, he said the opposition will sit together to analyse the ordinance which Imran Khan had introduced for his cronies and then chalk out its strategy regarding this ordinance.
He said the prime minister was saying that he was facing resistance and asked who was resisting him.
Kaira said the country was facing a bad economy, unemployment, inflation and failed foreign policy and now it seemed the final U-turn was on the cards. “The government is in panic and prime minister’s lies are being uncovered,” he added.
“Imran Khan has locked parliament and when we asked him for legislation, then he did not come into parliament, but now the Presidency has been turned into an ordinance factory from where an ordinance was promulgated daily. He thanked the Rawalpindi Police for providing good security for the Liaquat Bagh jalsa and demanded withdrawing of an FIR registered against the PPP workers. He said the government had put up as many hurdles as it could and the PPP had to approach the high court for holding the rally.
He said the PPP always faced and struggled against dictatorships and now it was coming out with a new zeal and fervour against a selected and puppet government. “We call this government a fascist government because it does not want us to hold political activities and contact people. No force in the world can keep the PPP away from the people of Pakistan,” he added.
Meanwhile, Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) chief Sirajul Haq on Sunday accused the government of "attempting to clip the NAB wings" with its recent amendment ordinance. "The accountability system has turned into a joke in the past 15 months," said Siraj during a press conference. He said democracy was weak and without a strong and vibrant democracy, the country won't be able to function properly. Siraj called on the government to restructure the anti-graft body to ensure proper working of the institution.
JUI-F leader Akram Khan Durrani also accused the prime minister and his cabinet of saving themselves from the NAB.
“The prime minister has given good news to his friends through the ordinance that they won’t be troubled anymore by the NAB,” he said while talking to reporters in Peshawar.
“The NAB chairman should also inform us whether there is a stay order on Malam Jabba and the Billion Tree Tsunami?” he questioned.
Durrani demanded against malpractices in the above-mentioned projects.
“There is neither gas nor electricity in this government’s tenure,” he said.