LAHORE: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has raised questions over the federal cabinet members’ “open directives” to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and intelligence agencies for taking action against its leadership.

PML-N Punjab leaders Azma Bokhari, Atta Tarar, Rana Mashhood and Malik Ahmed said on Saturday under which law the federal cabinet members, particularly Shahzad Akbar, could control the investigation agencies in the country.

Speaking at a press conference at Model Town, they said the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) leaders had made mockery of Pakistan’s justice system as the Supreme Court had observed that there should not be any political interference in the accountability process.

Earlier in the day, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Accountability Shahzad Akbar, speaking at a press conference, urged NAB to file a new reference against PML-N president Shahbaz Sharif and get his name placed on the exit control list so that he could not escape to London to evade accountability.

PTI leaders accused of conducting Sharifs’ media trial

Ms Bokhari said when nothing was established by the PTI government in its allegations of billions of rupees corruption against the Sharif family it brought its (Sharifs’) residence into politics.

“We demand Shahzad Akbar produce allotment letters of Banigala and Zaman Park residences of [Prime Minister] Imran Khan,” Ms Bokhari said in response to the NAB decision to open an investigation against the Sharif family for “illegally acquiring” hundreds of acres of land in Raiwind to include it in its Jati Umra residence. “Aleema Khan had confessed in writing that Imran Khan had made properties in her name,” Ms Bokhari alleged.

She said the allegations against Shahbaz Sharif and his family members were nothing but a media trial which Shahzad Akbar was conducting by waving papers in the pressers. She said on the instruction of Imran Khan,

NAB was making preparations to arrest the opposition leaders after Eid.

The PML-N alleged that Shahzad Akbar in connivance with his brother had occupied the land of Mohammedmian Soomro.

She asked Shahzad Akbar to tell the people about the culprits involved in sugar and wheat scams.

Malik Ahmed said there had been a doubt on the law degree of Shahzad Akbar. “Do you know about criminal proceedings? You have a fascist mindset and believe in media trial. We are ready to respond to your so-called 18 questions,” he said, adding like in the past “Akbar and company” could not prove anything against Shahbaz Sharif in the court.

Atta Tarar said “Shahzad Akbar and company” that had earlier been accusing Shahbaz Sharif of being involved in corruption of billions of rupees were now hurling the allegation of Rs4.9 million corruption against the man (Shahbaz) who paid millions in taxes every year.

Meanwhile, PML-N information secretary Marriyum Aurangzeb said the “NAB-Niazi alliance” dug a mountain over the past two years of persecution and political victimisation and came up with a molehill of “dead, stinky and petty” accusation of Rs4.9m corruption.

“The faces that are rebuked and embarrassed in courts over false allegations against the PML-N leaders are now using public money for press conferences at the PID every day. This smear campaign and witch-hunt cannot hide Imran Khan’s mega corruption,” she said.

Amir Wasim in Islamabad also contributed to this report

Published in Dawn, May 17th, 2020