Pak PM seeks probe into report by NAB against Nawaz Sharif

Islamabad: Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Wednesday said a parliamentary committee should be constituted to investigate the allegations of laundering $4.9 billion to India leveled by National Accountability Bureau (NAB) against former premier Nawaz Sharif.

Speaking in the National Assembly, he said the committee should summon the chairman and other officials of the NAB and seek evidence and relevant record from them in support of their allegations. The Prime Minister said: “These are very serious allegations which have brought bad name to the country. Therefore, the evidence even prima facie should be sought from the NAB chairman and facts should be presented before the parliament and the masses.”

Mr Abbasi urged the Opposition to consider bringing amendments to the Accountability Law.

He said the political parties had already agreed to these amendments and further debate or a meeting will be held to move forward the process.

Mr Abbasi pointed out that the institution of NAB was established by a military dictator – Pervez Musharraf - to change the loyalties of members and break up the political parties. He regretted that the political parties failed to make the NAB such an institution which fulfilled the requirements of justice and play its due role against corruption.

Mr Abbasi said that several NAB cases were being heard against former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, but he does not expect justice being delivered in the cases.

The Prime Minister said that the allegations leveled against the former PM Nawaz Sharif also amounted to pre-poll rigging. Earlier, the World Bank rejected reports that Nawaz Sharif had laundered $ 4.9 billion to India.