ISLAMABAD - Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Friday in the maiden sitting of the fresh Senate session lashed out at the National Accountability Bureau what it said the anti-corruption watchdog was only victimising the politicians of two opposition parties and the bureaucrats.
The lawmakers said that a witch-hunt by NAB was underway only against the PML-N and the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and accused, “Chairman NAB is hand in gloves with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led government.”
“I will personally talk to chairman NAB because the bureau has been in the practice of summoning many members without informing the house,” Acting Chairman Senate Salim Mandviwalla said. “Many members of the house have told me that they have received notices of NAB but the house has no knowledge about this,” he added.
Earlier, PML-N Senator Dr Asif Saeed Karmani, a close aide to the former prime minister Nawaz Sharif while speaking on a point of public interest said: “Chairman NAB should be summoned to the house to explain his position regarding a statement given at a public forum about PML-N lawmakers.” He accused Chairman NAB Justice (Retd) Javed Iqbal had become a party and added that he had criticised PML-N legislators at a public forum and had threatened to arrest them. “A political victimisation is underway and a witch-hunt is going on against PPP and PML-N,” he said and questioned why the bureau has not arrested any PTI lawmakers who are also facing corruption charges. “There is a controlled democracy in the country, controlled media and the controlled NAB as well,” Senator Karmani said and demanded that the house should play its role.
Senator Karmani also alleged that there was worst dictatorship in Pakistan under the guise of democracy and demanded that production orders of PML-N MNA Khawaja Saad Rafique, who is presently in the NAB custody, should be got issued from National Assembly. The acting Chairman, however, remarked that this was a matter of another house and could not be discussed here.
PML-N Senator Javed Abbasi was the second one who criticised NAB and said that no institution could be given an authority to insult parliamentarians and bureaucrats. He said that other institutions were sacred cows for NAB and added that the bureau was defaming politicians only on the basis of allegations and initiation of inquiries against them and no one knew their fate after three months. Abbasi pointed out that there were certain complaints pending with the Supreme Judicial Council but no one ever questioned the apex body. He also demanded that NAB should get prior permission of the house for initiation of inquiries against members and the investigation report should be presented before the Senate. He also demanded that the matter should be referred to the house committee.
Later, the combined opposition staged a protest walkout from the house demanding that it would only hear to the Finance Minister Asad Umar on the issue of recent record devaluation of rupee against US dollar and not State Minister for Revenue Hammad Azhar. When the chair allowed the state minister to respond to the call attention notice of PPP Senator Sherry Rehman regarding this, the opposition staged a protest walkout that led to the adjournment of the house till Monday because of lack of quorum.
The state minister in his reply said that the previous government kept the exchange rate of dollar unchanged artificially and country’s foreign reserves got depleted as a result of the decision.
Speaking on her call attention notice, Senator Sherry Rehman raised key questions pertaining to the recent rupee devaluation and Pakistan’s spiralling economy. “It is rather troubling that the finance minister is readily available for media appearances and has answered more questions in talks shows and press conferences than he ever has in parliament,” she said.
The senator then questioned the government on who is calling the shots on Pakistan’s economy. “If the Prime Minister did not know about such a huge devaluation and yet the finance minister did, then who is in-charge and who will take responsibility? Entire livelihoods were wiped out in the crash,” she said. She added that there was contradiction on the statements of PM Imran Khan and Finance Minister Asad Umar on the devaluation of rupee.
“If the precipitous devaluation was not part of any IMF precondition to bring the rupee down to non-artificial rate, then why was it done in such a disastrous freefall in two crashes? Either way why was the managed float not graduated down slowly?” asked the former Senate Opposition Leader.
The senator also reiterated the importance of transparency. She said, “When a country’s currency crashes so fast in one or two days, then there has to be an inquiry into who traded on the inside and made a fortune, while others lost their businesses and savings.” She said that Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) should share its findings with parliament on which money changer or syndicate profited from the devaluation.