After PML-N, Bilawal also calls for shutting down of NAB

After Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has also called for the shutting down of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and termed it a “scar on the legal system of the country”.

“Our first step should be to end NAB and close it, as it is a scar on the face of the legal system of Pakistan and all parties should work on it,” said the PPP chairman in Lahore. It was his first press conference after the Supreme Court verdict — regarding the bail granted to PML-N’s Khawaja brothers — in which NAB was heavily criticised.

The PPP chairman went on to say that after the Supreme Court verdict there was no reason for “NAB to stay”. He also added that “NAB chairman, who was a judge at one point, should resign if he had any respect or had read the judgment”.

“If the highest court of this land puts these things forward then we cannot leave it here. Parliament should act at once,” said the PPP chairman. He also hit out at the “selectors” saying that if a government is formed through NAB and power is given to “selected pygmies” then Pakistan’s economy will be like this.

Bilawal also stated that the NAB should “clarify” itself as the Supreme Court order said that it was not taking actions against the government’s mega corruption cases.

“NAB should at once launch an investigation into the foreign funding case, BRT, billion tree cases, special assistants’ assets declaration and dual nationality,” asked Bilawal.

If his party, Bilawal said, had made such a declaration then they would have been “facing an asset beyond mean cases and the media would have declared them as traitors”.

“If our system is two-faced then how can he [NAB Chairman] come and say accountability will be done from head to toe?” asked Bilawal and called for an end to the “joke” that was being done with Pakistan.

Bilawal is not the first to call for a new accountability body, On Tuesday the PML-N had also demanded the same demand.

The Supreme Court on Monday in its detailed verdict on a bail petition filed by PML-N leaders Khawaja Saad Rafique and Khawaja Salman Rafique in the Paragon Housing Society case highlighted severe lapses in due process and legal procedure by NAB.

In the detailed, 87-page ruling, penned by Justice Maqbool Baqar, the court highlighted the definition and purpose of bail as well as due process in criminal cases.

According to the judge, it was unfortunate that "even after 72 years since the creation of our country, and despite 47 years since the adoption of the Constitution, we have not been able to realize the spirit and essence of the ideals set out therein".

Justice Baqar went on to say that the present case was "a classic example of trampling fundamental rights, unlawful deprivation of freedom, and liberty and the complete disregard for human dignity as guaranteed by the Constitution".

The judge also slammed the anti-graft watchdog over various actions and processes, saying its "conduct throughout this case is a clear manifestation of their utter disregard for law, fair play, equity and propriety".