‘NAB’s unfair actions hinder development activities’

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has maintained that developmental activities have suffered serious jolt due to unfair activities of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB). He expressed these views during the federal cabinet meeting Wednesday when Defence Minister Khurram Dastgir Khan pointed out that NAB officials have been conducting raids in the offices and apprehending officials without following rules and law.

Well-placed sources in the cabinet told The News that Prime Minister Abbasi endorsed the views expressed by the defence minister and said that the attitude of NAB has caused standstill situation in the government offices where everybody is frightened from the NAB actions. He said the situation in Punjab is worst in this regards. The prime minister’s observations were endorsed by the members of cabinet. He said pace of development that was in full swing till last year has now suffered serious setback. He said the NAB should revise its conduct as it is detrimental for the country. Prime Minister Abbasi said every statement of the NAB may not be necessarily true. The prime minister said if five out of 10 decisions of the executive are found to be wrong, then it is the executive which will make correction.

He asked who will take decisions if the executive is made to work under fear. Sources said the cabinet meeting rejected the NAB demand of furnishing the record of high-level officials in different departments. The cabinet members were of the opinion that there should be a proper method for the NAB to seek record from different institutions.

The cabinet formed a committee headed by Barrister Zafarullah to devise procedure for the NAB to seek record from institutions. The committee will present its report in the next cabinet meeting.