Qureshi says NAB laws being amended for rulers’ personal gains
Vice Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Sunday rejected leaked audiotape between property tycoon Malik Riaz and former president Asif Ali Zardari. Talking to media persons, former Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that it is out of question that former prime minister Imran Khan would ask someone to patch things up for him.
These people get united just to degrade PTI Chairman, he added. The PTI leader also criticized government for amendments in the NAB laws and alleged the new amendments were the ones they had once proposed to the PTI in an attempt to get the NRO. He told the journalists that a blanket cover had been given to all cases pertaining to money laundering and asset beyond means.
The senior PTI leader said his party had decided to approach the Supreme Court to challenge the amendments along with other election-related legislation passed by the government, saying “we also urge the top court to take notice of changes to the NAB law which has made the accountability watchdog dysfunctional”. He was of the view that the entire exercise undertaken by the PML-N-led government was aimed at “benefitting” political personalities who were facing high profile cases.
It merits mention that an alleged audio tape of famous property tycoon Malik Riaz delivering Imran Khan’s message to former President and Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari has been leaked. In the telephonic conversation, Malik Riaz could be heard giving the ex-president the message of PTI Chairman Imran Khan.
Meanwhile, in a statement, Shah Mahmood Qureshi termed the incumbent government an unnatural arrangement, saying that the destination of parties in the coalition regime is different and it will not last long. The PTI vice-chairman further said that the NAB laws were amended for personal gains to save the top leadership of PPP and PML-N, requesting the Supreme Court (SC) of Pakistan to take suo motu notice of NAB amendments.
He pointed out that the federal government has taken powers from the NAB chairman to arrest anyone, while the power of the president has been taken back and given to the federal government, adding that such amendments are for a special purpose.
