NAB chief takes notice of Senate deputy chairman’s allegations

ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman, Justice (R) Javed Iqbal, on Sunday immediately sought complete record of the case of Deputy Chairman Senate Salim Mandviwalla from the NAB Rawalpindi after taking notice of his allegations against the bureau.

The NAB chairman ordered impeding the proceedings of case against Salim Mandviwalla till further orders. He will decide about further proceedings over the case after examining the record of the case in accordance with law and after getting the version of Salim Mandviwalla, so that justice could be done as per law.

Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal said that he profoundly respects all parliamentarians.

He has directed all regional bureaus not to seek record of any case of NAB from any hospital of provincial and federal govt during the prevalence of COVID-19 pandemic.

He said in case of necessity of obtaining record from any provincial or federal government hospital, NAB may contact the relevant provincial or federal government in this regard. “Utmost effort would be made not to seek record from any hospital of provincial or federal government during COVID-19,” he directed.

Meanwhile, Senate Deputy Chairman Salim Mandviwalla on Sunday blasted the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), accusing it for blackmailing and forcing the people to opt for plea bargain and businessmen were forced for plea bargain to save their honour.

“I will take up the issue with Prime Minister Imran Khan, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa and NAB Chairman Justice (R) Javed Iqbal by writing letters to them and the matter will also be investigated in the Senate Committee of Human Rights,” he said, while addressing a press conference here Sunday.

Salim Mandviwalla appealed to the prime minister and COAS to save the country from NAB.

He also announced to bring the asset details of every officer of the NAB in the media and in parliament like the assets details of the parliamentarians.

The Senate deputy chairman said in the past COAS General Qamar Javed Bajwa had invited businessmen to the GHQ and assured them that there would be no harassment of businessmen, but the NAB continued to target the businessmen and business transactions.

He said the prime minister had also assured the business community while addressing at the Sock Exchange of no harassment to businessmen and to amend the NAB ordinance and then it was amended and NAB chairman also said that traders would be facilitated. “But whenever someone makes a statement against the bureau, the anti-graft watchdog issues him a notice,” he said.

He said the Supreme Court of Pakistan had also said about the NAB as a ‘Blackmailing organisation, extortion organisation’ and it is an organisation that violates the human rights.

Salim Mandviwalla said the NAB had accused him of making an anonymous transaction, but he would show to the world that he had not done any such thing. “I was accused of transaction and that transaction was with the army and I was proud of it. My transaction was with Mangla Corps and that means the army has also done Benami transaction with my family,” he said, adding that he would bring the details of this transaction in the Senate.

The Senate deputy chairman said he was asked by the NAB that he should ask Ijaz Haroon to make a plea bargain otherwise his brother would also be arrested.

He said the NAB Director-General Rawalpindi Irfan Mangi had been accusing him of not doing any business despite being related to the business industry for the last four generations.

He said the NAB Rawalpindi was taking the name of the army behind the cases. “I appeal to Chief of Army Staff to take action against those who were defaming the army,” he said.

He questioned that why all the cases of Pakistan were investigated in the NAB Rawalpindi.

Salim Mandviwalla said, “We must ask Engineer Irfan Mangi the basis of his promotion within the NAB. I used to write letters to the prime minister but now I will reveal every information I have to the media,” he said.

He said when institutions, like NAB, violates human rights in this country, then why not one raises his voice against them. "When anyone raises my voice against the bureau's wrongdoings then the phone call comes from the investigation officer of NAB with a name of Muddasar to them asking to remain silent or be ready to get arrested,” he said.

He said that several Members of National Assembly (MNAs) and senators had landed in trouble because of the NAB and people were blackmailed and humiliated in closed rooms during investigations. “I will now take up the issue on the Senate floor and discuss it," he said.

He also unveiled the letters, which he had written to Prime Minister Imran Khan, COAS General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Law Minister Nasim Farogh and NAB Chairman Justice (R) Javed Iqbal and told them how the business community was being blackmailed and harassed.

It is to be mentioned here that the Senate deputy chairman has already submitted a privilege motion in the Senate Secretariat against NAB Chairman, DG NAB Rawalpindi Irfan Naeem Mangi and Investigation Officer (IO) who was probing the case against him.