Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry has said that lawmakers facing cases by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) should recuse themselves voluntarily from a committee formed to legislate on accountability laws in order to avoid conflict of interest.
“If all those members of parliament [who are] facing NAB cases amend the NAB laws themselves, what would be the point of such an amendment?” wondered the minister in a tweet on Tuesday. He added that he believes they should therefore recuse themselves voluntarily.
At least seven members of the new parliamentary committee formed to develop consensus on proposed legislation concerning amendments in the NAB law are facing court references or active or dormant inquiries, investigations or other proceedings by the anti-corruption body..
The opposition, mainly the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), have five such leaders, including former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Khawaja Saad Rafique, Ahsan Iqbal, Rana Sanaullah and ex-premier Raja Pervez Ashraf, who are part of the 24-member parliamentary panel.
On the other hand, Defence Minister Khattak and Adviser to the Prime Minister on Parliamentary Affairs Babar Awan, who represent the government on the committee, are also facing NAB cases.
NAB is pursuing a case of alleged corruption against Abbasi for awarding a multi-billion rupee import contract for LNG in 2013, when he was the minister for petroleum and natural resources. The former prime minister was also arrested by NAB in the case and is out on bail.
Saad Rafique is also on bail, which was recently granted by the Supreme Court in connection to the Paragon Housing Society. The reference against him is being heard by an accountability court of Lahore.
Former interior minister Ahsan Iqbal is out on bail as well in a reference related to the construction of the Narowal Sports Stadium. The reference is pending disposal in an accountability court of Islamabad.
Rana Sanaullah has been summoned by the NAB multiple times in an assets beyond means case, while PPP's Raja Pervez Ashraf is being tried in different references. He was recently acquitted in two cases by accountability courts.
NAB is pursuing cases against Khattak pertaining to Malam Jabba and the Peshawar Metro (Bus Rapid Transit or BRT). Meanwhile, Babar Awan was recently acquitted by an accountability court in the Nandipur Power Plant reference but NAB has appealed against this decision in the Islamabad High Court.
