Mandviwalla moves privilege motion against NAB chairman, DG, IO

ISLAMABAD: Senate Deputy Chairman Salim Mandviwalla has submitted the privilege motion in the Senate Secretariat against National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman Justice (R) Javed Iqbal, DG Rawalpindi Irfan Naeem Mangi and Investigation Officer (IO) of the NAB, who was probing case against him.

It was first time that the privilege motion was moved against the NAB chairman at the forum of the Parliament. In his privilege motion, Senate deputy chairman stated that NAB chairman, NAB DG and Investigation Officer have maliciously and wrongfully accused him in an unrelated investigations without establishing any credible link between the alleged wrongdoings and the undersigned.

Moreover, he said the NAB authorities had propagated these baseless accusations and through media without having sufficient evidence to show his involvement in any illegal activity.

He stated that this is clear and brazen attempt by NAB to obstruct, harass and intimidate him from performing duty as a member and Deputy Chairman Senate of Pakistan. “It is breach of privilege under para (v), (xiii), (vix) and (xv) of Rule 70 of the Rules of Procedure and conduct of the Business in the Senate, 2012,” he said.

He stated that the NAB authorities had acted far beyond their mandate to investigate corruption but they had turned an eminent state institutions into a tool for their private political goals, destroying the integrity and reputation of a state institution and propagating a culture of political harassment and victimisation. Salim Mandviwalla, in his privilege motion, stated that the House shall call for evidence and the legal basis for maligning and scandalising the good name of him in case where no clear link can be established between his and any illegal activity.

He stated that the NAB authorities were free to conduct their investigations as per the law but they did not have a licence to malign and defame his name and being called as an ‘accused Salim Mandviwalla’ to intimidate and obstruct him from discharging his duties as a senator.