LAHORE: Instead of expanding jurisdiction of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), it must improve its performance and eliminate corruption from the country, says Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif.

In a statement, the chief minister said the country suffered an irreparable loss due to corruption and a ‘credible’ system of accountability was needed for the stability of Pakistan.

He said the current condition and the past history of the NAB was witness to the fact that it failed to carry out accountability of the corrupt and those who looted the national exchequer.

Sharif said instead of enhancing jurisdiction of the NAB to the superior judiciary and the army, the bureau should operate honestly, impervious to likes and dislikes. He said institutions like the judiciary and the army have their own systems of accountability that can be improved to meet needs of the time.

Nisar: Former interior minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan called on Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif here on Saturday and discussed political situation in the country.

According to a handout, during the meeting Shahbaz Sharif said the PML-N government had always given priority to development and progress in the country. Pakistan was the country of all of us and we should make joint efforts for progress and peace.

He stressed the need for unity and harmony so that the country could progress with the power of unity.

Meanwhile, ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s daughter Maryam Nawaz arrived at her family’s Jati Umra residence from Islamabad.

She is likely to stay there till Oct 19 to appear before an accountability court in Islamabad in three graft cases against her and her other family members.

Meanwhile, chairman investment group of Turkey, Ahmet Albayrak, called on the chief minister and expressed interest in investing in health, housing and energy sectors.

Speaking on the occasion, Ahmet Albayrak said: “Pakistan nationals are our brothers and we are interested in investing in health, housing and energy sectors in Punjab.”

Mr Sharif said: “Friendship is changing into a profitable investment opportunity and these links will strengthen in the future.”

He said Turkey made unparalleled progress under its leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan. “The healthcare model of Turkey is the best in the world and we are benefiting from this model to its maximum and for this reason cooperation between Turkey and Pakistan in the health sector is increasing. Punjab has also followed the pattern of the public-private partnership in establishing new hospitals.”

Published in Dawn, October 15th, 2017