Difference of opinion in PML-N on NAB chairman

LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz senior leader Malik Mohammad Ahmed Khan on Saturday exposed the confusion among the party ranks on the issue of alleged leaked videos showing NAB Chairman Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal’s indecent conversation with a woman.

Malik Ahmad addressed a press conference, demanding the NAB chairman’s resignation for his interview to a journalist, which contravened his official position. Then the leaked videos with a woman damaged his moral position as well, he said. Malik Ahmad announced filing defamation suits against both the NAB chairman and the journalist, besides filing a contempt of court petition against them.

He said the NAB chairman leveled baseless and serious allegations against the former chief minister and PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif in the interview which damaged his position as the chief accountability officer, and later the video undermined him further.

Malik Ahmed, who was the Punjab government’s spokesman during his party’s rule, and is a member of the Punjab Assembly, said the NAB's performance is seriously flawed. Besides political parties, even senior judges have been critical of NAB’s highhandedness. He reminded that "people including high-ranking officials have committed suicide because of NAB notices. Accusations were made against Shahbaz Sharif without any evidence".

However, just couple of hours after his press conference, PML-N Central Secretary Information Marriyum Aurangzeb refuted Malik Ahmed's demand for the NAB chairman's resignation and arrest, saying it is not the party's policy and was Malik's personal opinion. She said the PML-N stance has been made clear by Shahbaz Sharif and PML-N Vice President Shahid Khaqan Abbasi when they demanded a parliamentary commission to probe the NAB chairman’s interview and alleged videos.

Meanwhile, Hamza Shahbaz, while talking to the media, said the case of NAB's chairman should be raised with the Supreme Judicial Council. He alleged that the NAB is responsible for the country's economic disaster as the bureau’s actions have spread panic among the business community. It has been proved that Imran Khan is an incompetent prime minister, Hamza concluded.