Siraj warns govt against taming NAB

LAHORE

Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Senator Sirajul Haq has warned the government and the PPP against clipping powers of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

Addressing a press conference at Mansoora after addressing the JI central workshop on Saturday, he said if those plundering public money did not mend their ways by returning the plundered wealth and seeking an apology from the nation, the time was not far when people would chase them everywhere.

Sirajul Haq said rulers seemed to be anxious to become “Martyrs” in order to gain public sympathies once again but added that this time the nation won’t allow them to gain this status. Stating that he knew how to cure the cancer of corruption, Sirajul Haq said the JI would present a list of those involved in mega corruption scandals before the National Assembly and Supreme Court and request for registration of terrorism cases against them. It will also move a draft law against corruption in the parliament, he added. He said if rulers tried to oppose this law because of its numeral strength, the masses would take them to accountability by themselves. 

He said plunderers had green cards in their pockets but added that they won’t be allowed to leave the country without returning the looted money.

Siraj said constitution made it obligatory for the state to provide basic facilities of education, health, jobs and shelter to the masses but rulers were misappropriating public money and transferring it to their bank accounts abroad.   

He said instead of proceeding against corruption mafia and recovering the looted money from them, the NAB was bargaining with them and those plundering billions were being given a clean chit by paying a few percent of the plundered money.

In about 50 cases, those plundering billions have been let off by paying only Rs. one Lakh. He however said the NAB did not have the authority to write off the plundered public money. 

He said in the past the ruling elite had caused the split of the country and even now they were playing with the destiny of the nation. Siraj said NAB Chairman was appointed with the consent of prime minister and leader of the opposition which, in fact, was the best way to hide corruption of the major parties. The nation knows how innocent the prime minister and the opposition leader are, he remarked. He said forces of the status quo were trying their best to prevent the election of the common man to the assemblies but added that the JI was determined to continue its struggle till it achieved the goal.