Opposition to change strategy to summon NAB chairman

ISLAMABAD: The opposition has decided not to withdraw its decision to summon the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chairman in the parliament.

According to sources, a meeting of all opposition parties in Senate has been called for Dec 30 at 10am at Committee Room No 1 of the Parliament House. The meeting will discuss summoning of NAB chairman in the parliament, besides other agenda items. The meeting will discuss the aftermath of not including Senate Deputy Chairperson Saleem Mandviwalla’s privilege motion for summoning of NAB chairman.

Sources said the combined opposition was adamant on summoning NAB chairman in the parliament and was not ready to withdraw the requisition submitted for the purpose.

Sources said after summoning the NAB chairman in the parliament, the opposition would protest against one-sided accountability of the opposition leaders and inaction over cases against the prime minister, ministers and other government functionaries. -- Online

News Desk: Earlier, Saleem Mandviwalla said that the Senate and the National Assembly were authorised to ask any individual to appear before them, irrespective of their institutional affiliation. Mandviwalla said he had never seen anyone refusing to appear before the Senate or the National Assembly whenever they were summoned. "The chairperson of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) was also a civil servant, therefore, he can also be summoned by the Senate as well as the NA," he added.

He said if the NAB chairperson refused to appear before the Senate committee, then there were other ways to deal with the situation.