No proposal to freeze Sharifs, Dar’s assets: NAB

ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has denied media reports that the Bureau chairman has rejected the recommendation of the Combined Investigation Team to freeze the accounts and assets of Sharif family and Finance Minister Senator Ishaq Dar and put their names on the Exit Control List (ECL).

A spokesman for NAB denied the reports, saying that the DG NAB Lahore has not sent any recommendations for putting the names of Sharif family on the ECL and freezing of their assets. “Therefore, the question of rejecting any recommendation did not arise,” the spokesman said while commenting on media reports.

Meanwhile, the executive board of NAB will meet today (Wednesday) to make a decision to approve the filing of the references against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his family and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar in the accountability courts.

The NAB Lahore had forwarded two references to the NAB headquarters; one against the ownership of Avenfield apartments. The second reference forwarded by NAB Lahore is against Ishaq Dar for allegedly owning assets beyond his means.

The NAB Rawalpindi had also forwarded two references -- the first one against the purchase of the Azizia Steel Mills and a second one against various industrial assets owned by the Sharif family, including the Hill Metal Establishment.

The Supreme Court in its judgment in the Panama case had set a deadline of September 8 to file references against the Sharif family and Ishaq Dar and it is likely that after getting the approval from the executive board of NAB, the Bureau will file the references by tomorrow (Thursday).