Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s warning to NAB for allegedly harassing certain businessmen has triggered a huge debate among political and social circles. The assumption is that the PM’s harsh tone might lower the speed of the ongoing accountability process.

The senior leaders of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) have openly stated the warning came in the wake of concerns of some top business groups of the country including the Mansha group which is considered close to the ruling elite. Others are of the view that the ruling PML-N wants to stop NAB’s advances in the Punjab province. The ruling party now wants political reconciliation with the NAB-affected parties for a safer political journey.

The Federal Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Pervaiz Rasheed has recently said that political parties have reservations pertaining to actions of the NAB. He indicated the government would bring some "reforms" after political consultations.

Along with the ongoing cases in Sindh against some highups of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and bureaucrats, the NAB for the past several months is also probing into the alleged corruption cases in the Punjab and Islamabad, some of which impact the ruling PML-N. According to reports, some power-generation and transport projects as well as the LNG project are under probe. While names of some bureaucrats having longs served under the PML-N regime are also in the accountability radar.

The NAB has also launched an inquiry against the provincial sports and education minister, Rana Mashood Ahmed, and some other lawmakers. A probe into the alleged scam in Punjab Youth Festival is also going on including the long serving Punjab Sports Board Director General Usman Anwar, and a blue eyed civil servant of the Punjab chief minister. It was in Punjab some time back that the NAB had got hold of former PPP Punjab president Qasim Zia, who was later released as a result of plea-bargain.

Amir Latif, a contractor in the Metro Bus Service and Orange Line projects, is also facing an inquiry and was reportedly arrested too. Some people suggest that the prime minister’s strict warning had come in the wake of this arrest alone.

The Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (PILDAT) has expressed concern at the PM’s statement, terming it a clear attempt to undermine the independent functioning of an important autonomous body. "The PM went out of the way, clearly threatening the NAB of consequences for expanding the canvas of accountability. While another major party, the PPP, has already pointed fingers at the NAB saying it is harassing its leaders and bureaucrats in Sindh government," says Ahmad Bilal Mahboob, executive director PILDAT.

According to him, normally PILDAT does not issue statements "but in this case we saw there were less voices condemning PM’s open threat to the accountability bureau". He thinks the political parties may agree on a toothless NAB on certain terms and conditions which is harmful for transparent accountability and democracy.

One fear of politicians is that the NAB might be working under the influence of the military. A sizable number of former army officials in the NAB is said to be a legacy of General (r) Pervez Musharraf. Out of total seven chairmen of the NAB, five were former generals. One civilian was Nawid Ahsan who had to step down in the last PPP regime for opening a reference against the PPP co-chairperson on Supreme Court’s direction. The current chairman of the NAB, consensually appointed by the PPP and the PMLN, is a former army captain-turned-senior civil servant.

Read also: Sindh’s story

A big surprise for the ruling political elite came when the NAB presented a list of mega corruption cases before the Supreme Court in July last. The list included cases against the PML-N leaders, including charges of abuse of authority against the PM and his brother Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif. According to the list, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar is also facing a probe while there are also references against the leaders of PPP and Pakistan Muslim League (Quaid-e-Azam).

The PML-N government claims the cases against them were fabricated during the Musharraf regime. While the NAB terms these references as genuine, without any influence and discrimination and without any intention of targeting individuals. The PPP has already accused the NAB of having become a tool in the hands of military establishment.

"We demand transparency. When the NAB pursued accountability in Sindh, the PML-N leadership did not complain about any deficiency in its procedures. Many PML-N leaders supported the NAB’s accountability in Sindh," says PPP Information Secretary Qamar Zaman Kaira while talking to TNS. He says the PPP would not back the government for clipping the wings of the NAB. "The rulers from Punjab should not be afraid of accountability."

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has already announced not to compromise on accountability. He has warned of strong opposition to any action against the NAB affecting the ongoing process of inquiries.

Mahboob, however, discounts the influence of military establishment on the NAB. "It is generally an excuse to blame others without any evidence," he says. "90 percent of the officials during Pervez Musharraf regime had left the NAB during the Zardari regime."

He views that accountability does not suit people in the power corridors and it is media and public that can hold them accountable.