Broadsheet exposed PML-N leadership, says Shahzad Akbar

LAHORE: Adviser to Prime Minister on Accountability and Interior Shahzad Akbar on Monday said the PML-N leadership has been once again exposed before the people as they made failed attempts to conceal their properties, and tried to fool the people again by telling oft-repeated lies.

Addressing a press conference here, he said that Nawaz Sharif used the platform of Parliament to protect his ill-gotten assets, adding that due to growing public awareness and other factors Nawaz Sharif could not further misguide the people through such tactics.

Shahzad Akbar said Nawaz Sharif, after the PanamaLeaks, addressed the nation and approached the court where he made contradictory statements, and the Supreme Court after conducting long proceedings declared him dishonest and disqualified him. He said they had claimed that iqama (work permit) and not corruption was the reason behind their disqualification by the court. Shahzad Akbar said that it was not just a matter about work permit as any public office holder could commit money laundering under the umbrella of work permit.

The adviser said as per NAB law if a person’s assets did not match his source of income, the person could be considered corrupt, or his assets were ill-gotten. He said that Prime Minister Imran Khan set a fine example by presenting his complete money trail in the court due to which the court declared him honest.

Shahzad Akbar said the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was the only political party in the country which had transparent fund-raising procedures as practiced by other parties across the globe, adding that the PTI had submitted all details about its funds to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

The adviser said that PML-N leadership, including Maryam Nawaz, once again resorted to propaganda after a news came out from London about Avenfield that the case had been dismissed, which was not true. He said Broadsheet company, which was hired by then NAB for tracing the assets of Pakistanis, had got a Charging Order Act on Avenfield apartment from a court so that this property could not be disposed of until Broadsheet got its payments, adding that later the company withdrew its charging order after being paid for its loans. He said that then DG NAB and attorney general were answerable for the "agreement" which they made with Broadsheet.

The adviser said the PML-N leaders termed it ''political victimisation'' whenever accountability process was started against them, adding that people of the country were aware of lies and corruption of PML-N and how they plundered the national exchequer. He said former defence minister Khawaja Asif had claimed that he was employed in a company in Dubai and was getting salary of Rs140 million in cash, whereas actually the money was being transferred in a bank account.

Shahzad Akbar said that Nawaz Sharif was allowed to travel abroad for medical treatment after the reports of medical board, adding that he was allowed to travel as per judicial order. He said that when Maryam Nawaz was summoned by NAB, she along with a number of party activists attacked the NAB office as she followed in the footsteps of her father who had attacked the Supreme Court. He said efforts were being made to bring Nawaz Sharif back to the country.