LAHORE: Opposition leader in Punjab Assembly Hamza Shahbaz said on Thursday the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had been politicised as it was giving clarifications for its own deeds.

Speaking to reporters outside the Punjab Assembly, the opposition leader alleged that the NAB was pursuing double standards as Opposition Leader in National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif was summoned in the Punjab Saaf Pani Company case but he was arrested in the Ashiana housing inquiry.

“A month has passed by since the NAB arrested Shahbaz Sharif but nothing has been proved against him. Even the Supreme Court imposed fine on the NAB for taking sides,” he said.

Hamza said the NAB law was draconian and admitted that his party committed a mistake by not doing away with it. He said (PM) Imran Khan Niazi was talking of accountability of others but he himself was wanted in the NAB case in the use of government helicopter illegally.

“Niazi Sahib is doing politics of containers. He should better work for the betterment of the country’s economy and improve its image,” he said and demanded accountability of premier’s sister Aleema Khan for owning an offshore company.

He further said a commission should be formed to investigate alleged rigging in the 2018 elections. “A commission should be constituted for the audit of the 2018 polls and it will be clear who committed rigging,” he said.

Former provincial minister Rana Mashhood said: “We will not allow such an accountability in the country. The opposition members are being summoned by the NAB but it is lenient towards the ruling party.”

He asked why no action was being taken against PTI leader Faisal Vavda for being a bank defaulter and dual national.

Mashhood said he would file a defamation case against the provincial education minister for maligning him.

Meanwhile, Information Minister Fayyazul Hasan Chohan said Rana Mashhood was the front man in Hamza’s poultry business. He also accused Mashhood of committing corruption in the youth festival and said the NAB was carrying out accountability according to law.

Mashhood dismissed the information minister’s allegations, saying Hamza had paltry share in the poultry business and how could he control the whole business. “I have not committed corruption of a single penny in my life,” he said.

Published in Dawn, November 9th, 2018