NAB’s sun is shining over Punjab: Shahbaz

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Tuesday said the “eagle eyes” of state institutions were focused on the Punjab only and warned that double standards were unacceptable to them.

“On the one hand, if corruption is being ignored and, on the other hand, the eagle eyes then this double standard cannot work,” he maintained. The chief minister said people had been served selflessly whenever the PML-N was given an opportunity to serve them but the National Accountancy Bureau (NAB) and the Supreme Court were active against corruption only in Punjab.

The chief minister said, “The sun of National Accountability Bureau is shining over Punjab,” adding that the NAB investigation in Punjab was welcomed but he won’t accept the double standard.

“We reject the double standards that ignore any corruption outside Punjab,” Shahbaz said and added, “If you have taken the responsibility to eliminate corruption, do it without any bias.” Shahbaz reiterated that he was willing to be held accountable if a single penny corruption was proven against him.

Addressing a cheque-distribution ceremony of the loans worth over Rs 46 billion under the Chief Minister’s Self Employment Scheme, he said, “Those who have waived off loans worth billions of rupees and the politicians who are fully drenched in corruption are giving statements against corruption and advising the nation about honesty. The state institutions are active against corruption and we welcome it. However, they should give attention to the recovery of looted money of the nation.”

“Our political opponents got an opportunity of public service in their provinces but they did nothing there. Not even a single penny was given to anybody in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as interest-free loan and on the other side; billions of rupees were usurped instead of giving interest-free loans in Sindh province. Despite it, they are claiming about eliminating poverty, unemployment and corruption,” said Shahbaz.

“Imran Niazi calls Metro Bus service of Lahore a ‘Jangla Bus’ and claims that if they get grant or funds then educational institutions and hospitals will be built instead of Metro Bus. He has not built educational institutions nor is any hospital in his province,” he told the audience.