Saleem Mandviwala shouldn’t use Senate platform for personal gain: Shahzad Akbar

ISLAMABAD: Adviser to the Prime Minister on Accountability and Interior Barrister Mirza Shahzad Akbar Wednesday said the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government would not allow anyone to disgrace the institutions.

Senate Deputy Chairman Saleem Mandviwala should challenge the court’s order for forfeiture of his stock market shares at the relevant high court instead of targeting the NAB, he said while talking to media. He said a member of parliament is not a sacred cow, adding that any parliamentarian could not use his official position for personal benefits.

“There is no immunity to any parliamentarian and Mandviwala should not misuse his official position for personal gains, the adviser said. He lamented that the opposition wanted to make the country a banana republic.

He said Senate Deputy Chairman Saleem Mandviwala had started targeting National Accountability Bureau (NAB) after cases were instituted against him (Mandviwala), adding, the government would defend the anti-graft body in Senate during the ensuing session scheduled to be held on December 30. He said the PDM was formed after failure of opposition to get National Reconciliation Ordinance.

The main objective of the opposition was to seek NRO. The opposition wanted to get immunity from its corruption cases, he observed. The proposed amendments to the National Accountability Bureau ordinance by opposition were aimed at getting the immunity from their crimes which were not acceptable to the government.

Responding to a question, he said as per agreement with United Kingdom, the transfer of convicted prisoners was possible between two countries. The UK government has assured considering the application of Pakistan to extradite Nawaz Sharif, whose visit visa application has already been expired.

The visa of Nawaz who is convicted should be cancelled, the adviser opined. Responding to another question, he said the amount recovered by NAB was deposited straight in the national exchequer.

Some 25 new accountability courts were being established to expedite NAB cases, he said and added that the government will take NAB cases to logical conclusion. The government was satisfied with the performance of NAB, the adviser mentioned.