Staff Reporter
Islamabad
Deputy Chairman of Senate Saleem Mandviwalla has called National Accountability Bureau a blackmailing organization and said that people only go for plea bargain to save their honour.
Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, he said that Prime Minister Imran Khan earlier assured of neutral accountability and Chairman NAB also said that traders will be facilitated but whenever someone makes a statement against the bureau, the anti-graft watchdog issues him a notice.
Mandviwalla said that it is the first time in history that the “Senate of Pakistan” is facing a tough time because of the National Accountability Bureau.
The NAB has recently frozen Mandviwalla’s assets in connection with a fake accounts case. According to a report submitted by the anti-corruption watchdog, Mandviwalla had allegedly bought Benami shares in the name of a person accused in the fake accounts case. Later that day, the Senate chairman had categorically denied the allegations, calling the case “unfair and prejudicial.”
The senator said that NAB is involved in “blackmailing people,” adding that the National Commission on Human Rights, as well as the Supreme Court, have criticised the bureau for violations.
“When institutions like NAB violate human rights in this country, why is it that no one raises their voice against them?” Saleem Mandviwalla questioned. “When I raise my voice against the bureau’s wrongdoings, I am served a notice.”
He said that several members of the national assembly and senators have landed in trouble because of the NAB and people are blackmailed and humiliated in closed rooms during investigations. He also vowed to raise the issue of human rights violations by NAB on international level.
On the other hand, NAB Chairman Justice (Retd) Javed Iqbal has taken notice of the allegations levelled by Saleem Mandviwalla and has ordered to stop further proceedings on the graft case against him until further orders.
“We have summoned the record of the case and will investigate it thoroughly,” the chairman said.
“The NAB respects all parliamentarians in accordance with the law,” he said, adding that the decision to continue or stop the proceedings of the case against Mandviwalla would be taken in light of the detailed scrutiny of the record.
