No action being taken against any politician in Sindh: home minister

KARACHI: Caretaker Sindh Home Minister Brigadier (retd) Haris Nawaz Sunday denied allegations of political victimisaiton in the province, asserting that no action was being taken against any political leader.

The minister’s statement comes amidst heightened political tensions in the province after a series of reports began surfacing regarding politicians, particularly from the Pakistan Peoples Party, being placed on a stop list and their homes being raided in a bid to uncover corrupt practices.

Last month, sources told The News that a PPP politician and former provincial minister, Mukesh Chawla, had been placed on the interim stop list following National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) inquiry pertaining to misuse of authority and corruption in a vehicle registration scam.

However, the anti-corruption authority was restrained from arresting him after he approached the Sindh High Court against his possible arrest. Chawla’s plea stated that his residence was raided, although there had been no call-up notice issued to him in connection with any NAB inquiry.

The sources added that the names of more than 60 government officials close to the PPP have also been included in the stop list.

Additionally, the inquiries were expected to be opened in the anti-graft body’s office in Karachi against government officers close to PPP, the sources added.

Chawla’s name, as per the sources, was added to the list on NAB’s recommendation and all the names were included in different phases from the first week of August — an act termed as political victimisation in the province.

Commenting on the aforementioned reports about Sindh politicians on Sunday, Brigadier (retd) Nawaz said only NAB investigations and criminal cases are underway. “Political victimisation is not being done against anyone in Sindh,” the interim minister told journalists.

The caretaker home minister also refuted reports of politicians being placed on the stop list.

Following alleged reports of cash being recovered from residences of politicos in the province, the minister clarified that no money has been recovered from anyone’s house and no politician’s residence had been raided in Sindh. The interim home minister suggested that the allegations might be part of a deliberate campaign to malign the caretaker government’s reputation.