Opposition tables motion about NAB actions in Senate

F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD: The Opposition parties in the Senate on Friday tabled a motion in the House about the NAB actions which are poisoning the political atmosphere in the country.

Leader of the Opposition in the Senate Raja Zafarul Haq said the NAB ‘trend’ is fuelling the political tensions. “The matter should be referred to the relevant committee,” he added. Raja Zafar said the NAB policies are causing fissures and chaos in the country.

“The targeting of an accused on media before the trial is inappropriate. The Supreme Court had also declared such actions as one-sided,” he further said.

Raja Zafar said the NAB is targeting only ‘specific’ people. “The arrest of Khawaja Asif is before everyone, the way he was detained. He was in a meeting and was told some people wanted to meet him outside. Asif already knew he could be arrested anytime,” he added. Abdul Ghafoor Haideri  

JUI-F top leader Senator Abdul Ghafoor Haideri said on Friday that political opponents were being victimized in the name of accountability, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.  Speaking in the Senate, he said that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) was busy in maligning the politicians without any proof.  

The senator said JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman had never been the country’s president or prime minister, and still he was being asked to give money trail.

“Maulana’s only crime is that he has the courage to stand up to those who have ‘selected’ Prime Minister Imran Khan. He tells them politics is something which the politicians do; and they have nothing to do with it,” he added. 

Haideri said emphatically that Maulana Fazl would never present himself for accountability come what may.   He questioned Prime Minister Imran Khan as to why he hid behind the army chief, and thus brought a bad name to the entire institution. 

The senator was of the view that no government could be run by hiding behind the army.  “We do not recognise any such institution like NAB which blackmails politicians,” he said categorically.

Shahzad Waseem Responding to the Opposition’s onslaught, Leader of the House in Senate Shahzad Waseem maintained that the NAB is an independent institution and the PTI government did not appoint its chairman.

“The NAB should take forward its accountability process without heeding to any political pressure,” he said. Shahzad said the resignations drama has come to end like the last sunset of 2020.

“Senate elections will take place and the PTI will obtain a majority in the Upper House,” he said and added “The Opposition’s movements are aimed at hiding their corruption and get relief.”