NAB quizzes Bilawal, Zardari in three cases

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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and his father, former president Asif Ali Zardari, were questioned by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in three corruption cases at the anti-graft body’s Rawalpindi headquarters on Wednesday.

The two PPP leaders arrived for questioning amid heightened security as a large number of party activists awaited them outside the offices. Bilawal was accompanied by his younger sister Aseefa. There were sporadic clashes between impassioned workers and police and several were taken into custody.

According to a NAB press release issued following their testimony, a combined investigation team (CIT), led by a director general, investigated Bilawal and Zardari for about two hours in the three cases.

The Park Lane Estates case is among the graft cases under investigation.The press release adds that the two were given a written questionnaire and asked to submit it within 10 days. The CIT will review their testimony and the information they provide in the questionnaire, and may call the PPP leaders again for further questioning, the NAB said.

Bilawal and his father then left the premises without speaking to the media, thoughthe PPP chairman emerged from the sun-roof of his vehicle and briefly addressed supporters who thronged his SUV.

In remarks quoted by Geo News, Bilawal said the NAB was created for “political engineering”. He added: “It is our fault and weakness and we did not change this dark [NAB] law during our tenure in government.”

He also said he was asked about details of a period when he was only one year old. “We will continue to raise our voices against banned organisations,” he stressed. “I am raising a voice against the political crisis.”

Speaking about the clashes, a PPP spokesman claimed 200 of its workers were detained by the police. MNA Shazia Marri said police “tortured women and children who had gathered there to express solidarity with the party leadership”.

Another PPP leader, Chaudhry Manzoor, claimed Bilawal was not provided with adequate security, cautioning the party “should not be forced to give a call to the people to take to the streets”.

Reacting to the violence, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry demanded an apology from PPP leadership. He claimed four policemen and two cameramen were injured as a result of the “attack by PPP workers”.

“On this occasion, about 500 workers of the PPP gathered and a few dozen attacked police — which is unfortunate,” Chaudhry said. “You want to say how anyone could dare summon you for investigation and then you call your people to attack. This attitude is no different from the behaviour of proscribed organisations on which National Action Plan is being enforced.”

The minister said monopoly over violence was the “right and responsibility of the state” and warned the state would fulfil its responsibility if lines were crossed.

In a news conference later, Bilawal said he always received a NAB notice after addressing a rally or press conference. The PPP chairman condemned the “highhanded, dictatorial and brutal actions of the government”. “I would like to salute the workers of PPP for their bravery, resilience and demand their immediate release and no charges be filed against anyone undemocratically, unnecessarily arrested.”

He further said those in government were the same people who held the capital hostage for 200 days and sabotaged the visit of the Chinese president back then. “Now they are lecturing us, we didn’t cross a line… we didn’t provoke…We have video evidence showing how police attacked the workers first.”

The PPP chairman said that if the arrested workers were not released, the party would devise a future strategy. “I am not worried or concerned. I am happy to present myself for a free and fair investigation in accordance with the rule of law. Unfortunately, what we have seen in the last six months is a manipulation, undermining and disregard for how rule of law should function,” Bilawal told reporters.