PML-N accuses NAB of bias

Published January 7, 2003

ISLAMABAD, Jan 6: The secretary information Pakistan Muslim league (N) Siddiqul Farooq on Sunday accused the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) of partiality and criticized it for not acting against the former railways minister in view of information provided by him regarding dubious deals.

Speaking at a press conference here, Siddiqul Farooq demanded of the government to arrest the former railways minister, Lt. Gen. (retd) Javed Ashraf Qazi, put his name on the exit control list (ECL) and early completion of inquiry on charges of causing huge losses to the national exchequer through making dubious deals.

Farooq said that the NAB had made no progress regarding the questionable deals struck by the railways authorities for the lease of the prime land on the Canal Bank, Lahore, and the import of railways coaches from China.

Pakistan, he added, was capable of manufacturing the railway coaches locally. He said that the national exchequer had suffered a collective loss of Rs52 billion in both these deals struck in violation of the rules proofs of which had been provided to the NAB.