LAHORE: In the backdrop of the National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) investigation into the liquor licence case and his properties, Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar was assured of full support by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf MNAs from the province here on Monday.

National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaisar arrived in the city on Monday on a three-day visit reportedly on the directions of Prime Minister Imran Khan to back up a beleaguered Buzdar, and lent him the support of party MNAs from Punjab.

Mr Qaisar, during his stay, will also meet Punjab Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi and some MPAs in this regard. Mr Elahi’s PML-Q has already declared its support for the chief minister.

Mr Buzdar hosted a dinner at the chief minister house for Mr Qaisar and the PTI MNAs from Punjab — a good number of which turned up.

According to a party insider, PM Khan is under pressure to replace Mr Buzdar and through “this activity” he has once again made it clear within and outside the party that he was fully backing the man from Dera Ghazi Khan and would not step back.

Most of the participants were not wearing face masks, and Mr Buzdar reached out to each MNA to greet them.

Soon after the reception, the Punjab government issued a statement, saying “the members of the National Assembly have expressed their confidence in the leadership of Usman Buzdar and condemned the propaganda against him”.

It further said: “Mr Buzdar is a public man who meets with everyone. In the development work, the opinion of the lawmakers is given respect.” Mr Buzdar also issued orders for resolving the problems of the MNAs in their constituencies.

Mr Buzdar is reportedly upset over the NAB aggressively pursuing the liquor case against him. Before the MNAs’ reception, he claimed that he was summoned by the bureau as a witness. “I am called by the NAB as a witness. I will reply to all of its questions,” Buzdar told reporters.

But in his last appearance before the bureau last week, the anti-graft body had grilled the chief minister for 100 minutes and asked 60 questions, most of which allegedly he could not respond to.

Mr Buzdar has to submit the record of liquor licence, his properties and his relatives’ properties to the NAB Lahore on Tuesday (today). The bureau may re-summon him some time this week to answer its questions in person.

The chief minister is accused of receiving Rs50 million bribe to force the Excise and Taxation Department to issue a liquor licence to an under-construction hotel in violation of the law. He is also facing charges of acquiring property, mostly in south Punjab, in the names of his relatives and others.

On Monday, the NAB Lahore had also quizzed former principal secretary to Mr Buzdar, Dr Raheel Ahmed Siddiqui, former excise and taxation director general Ashraf Gondal and the owner of the hotel in question.

“Dr Siddiqui was quizzed for more than five hours, while Mr Gondal submitted a written statement alleging the chief minister office of pressuring him to issue the licence in violation of rules. The owner of the hotel was questioned about the bribe he paid to acquire the licence,” a source said, adding that Mr Gondal had already consented to become an approver against Mr Buzdar.

Published in Dawn, August 18th, 2020