September 8, 2002	Sunday	Jamadi-us-Saani29,1423

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ISLAMABAD, Sept 7: Pakistan Muslim League (N) on Saturday demanded of the government to disqualify Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, Chaudhry Pervez Illahi, and Iftikhar Gillani for getting huge bank loans written off.

In a letter, written by Central Information Secretary of PML (N), Siddiqul Farooq, to chairman, National Accountability Bureau, he demanded the disqualification of the three stalwarts of PML(Q) — a breakaway faction of the party — on the basis of the list of bank defaulters sent to the NAB by the State Bank.

Farooq alleged that the vice-president of Pakistan Muslim League (QA), Iftikhar Gillani, is a defaulter of a bank loan amounting to Rs6.8 million.

Recalling that a list of loan defaulters was provided to the NAB by the Deputy Governor of State Bank, A.R. Chughtai, he said Chaudhry Shujaat and Pervez Illahi, who are also cousins, had taken a loan of Rs240 million from the Bankers Equity and National Bank, which they had got written off.

“The bureau has already taken dozens of defaulters to court and several have been awarded life imprisonment, fine of millions of rupees, and confiscation of movable and immovable properties. However, a large number of people, including Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, Chaudhry Pervez Elahi, Syed Iftikhar Hussain Gillani, and others belonging to the PML (QA), Millat Party, and Grand National Alliance, who support the military regime have been kept out of the accountability net despite their offences.”

Farooq, circulated copies of the letter at a news conference and said, under the Representation of the People (Amendment) Ordinance, 2002, all the candidates were required to submit a declaration stating that they were not defaulters and did not get bank loans written off.