PTI files reference with NAB against Nawaz, family, Dar

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Monday filed a ‘reference’ with the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, (dependents) members of his family and Ishaq Dar for alleged corruption and corrupt practices, mainly focusing on Panama Papers.

The ‘reference’ contains, among other documents, a BBC documentary as an evidence of money laundering and a string of statements by prime minister and his children, primarily on their offshore assets. Dar has been mentioned as a member of the Sharif family.

“In the light of PanamaLeaks, the admitted transgressions by Ishaq Dar, supported by evidence, the money laundering, the futile attempts to hide it, the purchases of properties in London between 1993 to 1996 and later the loans obtained against these properties, the judgment given in London and the execution, the BBC report confirming the purchases of properties in the Park Lane clearly showing Nawaz Sharif family from ordinary businessmen to super rich politicians, Raymond Baker’s book charging Nawaz Sharif with millions of dollars of corruption as these allegations were never contested and never charged for defamation by the Sharifs, all lead to the inescapable conclusion that grave offences under the NAB Ordinance have been committed and limitations do not run against crimes,” said the complaint.

PTI’s Additional Secretary General Saifullah Niazi and Central Information Secretary Naeemul Haq filed the reference with the bureau and urged it to perform its duties in the light of revelations made in Panama Papers and the facts put forth by the PTI in the 7-page reference.

“The confessional statement of Ishaq Dar made under section 164 CrPC is part of NAB’s record and may be scrutinised afresh in light of the fresh revelations out of PanamaLeaks, which fully support Dar’s statement,” the PTI said in its reference.

The NAB officially announced on July 15 that it had acquitted Dar and closed the investigation, which was opened in the year 2000. “Three children of current Pakistan’s Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif; namely Maryam, Hassan and Hussain are owners or possessed the right to authorise transactions for multiple companies,” the reference said.

“Maryam Nawaz is described as the owner of British Virgin Islands based firms Nielsen Enterprises Limited and Nescoll Limited, incorporated in 1994 and 1993 respectively i.e. at a time when she was merely twenty years of age,” it said.

Besides mentioning evidences revealed in the Panama Papers, the PTI also included income tax history of the prime minister starting from 1980 to 2010. “Between 1993 and 1996, Nawaz Sharif bought the four flats of Avenfield, Mayfair, through the offshore companies in the name of his children. In 2004, a fifth flat was also bought,” the petition said.

It included questions as to where the money came from to buy the properties and how it was sent abroad. “The total declared income from 1981-94 averaged only Rs271,428 on which only Rs79,337 per year was paid as tax,” the reference said.

“Kindly perform your duties before Allah and fellow Pakistanis, so that you’re neither condemned by history nor by the judgment of the present,” the reference said.

In contrast to this development, several PTI activists, who were supposed to protest before the NAB headquarters, had a massive fist-fight. They exchanged abusive language against each other.

It was free for all: some seniors present on the occasion, preferred to stay calm, as did the contingent of police. In order to outdo one another, PTI activists were seen desperately posing with party leaders in selfie matches, which led to the fist fight. 

Parallel to that, some PTI workers revolted against corruption and corrupt PTI leadership during rally against NAB. Holding placards, they demanded expulsion of corrupt PTI leaders, an end to corrupt mafia rule in PTI, unfettered internal accountability, and return to constitutional rule in the party. They shouted vociferous slogans holding placards with slogans against internal corruption on behalf of PTI founders.