National Assembly Body Re-summons NAB Chairman On May 22

The National Assembly's (NA) Standing Committee on Law and Justice re-summoned National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman Justice (Retd) Javed Iqbal on May 22, after he expressed inability to appear before it Wednesday due to prior commitments

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 16th May, 2018 ) :The National Assembly's (NA) Standing Committee on Law and Justice re-summoned National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman Justice (Retd) Javed Iqbal on May 22, after he expressed inability to appear before it Wednesday due to prior commitments.

The NA body had summoned the NAB chief to appear before it and explain the order of an inquiry into allegation of laundering of $4.9 billion to India against former prime minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif.

The committee, which met here with Chaudhary Ashraf in the chair, considered the point of order raised by Rana Muhammad Hayat Khan pertaining to a NAB press release about the money laundering allegation.

A NAB representative submitted a written request from the office of NAB chairman that the notice about the committee's meeting was received on May 16, and due to his prior commitments and meeting of the executive board, the chairman was unable to attend the meeting.

Considering the request, the committee deferred the matter till May 22. Chairman Chaudhry Ashraf informed the meeting,"Through a letter, the NAB chairman has requested for the next date due to his official engagements and we are fixing it for May 22 (Tuesday) for his appearance." The members belonging of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) opposed summoning of the NAB chairman by the committee.

PTI's Dr Arif Alvi termed it an attempt to pressurize the institution and stop it from its legal and constitutional duties. The committee had the power to summon the NAB chairman but its timing was not appropriate, he added.

Rana Muhammad Afzal Khan said it was not a political pressure as they respect the NAB chairman, but they wanted to know his point of view on the issue. He also disagreed with Dr Arif Alvi over the timing of summoning the NAB chairman.

Mian Abdul Mannan said there was no harm in summoning the NAB chairman as he had already appeared in a meeting of the Public Account Committee (PAC). Muhammad Moeen Wattoo said, "We want guidance from the NAB chairman NAB on the issue and we have a lot of respect for him.

" The NAB chairman had not refused to attend the meeting, rather he asked for the next date for the purpose, he added.

Asiya Naz Tanoli said rules and regulations should be applied to all without any discrimination. Ali Muhammad Khan said the prime responsibility of the committee was to make laws and suggest appropriate amendments in the Constitution.

"It is not its duty to summon anyone. What crime has been committed by the NAB chairman? Did he break the law or misuse his authority?" he questioned. He suggested the committee to summon former prime minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif for hurting the sentiments of the people by issuing an alleged statement.

Rana Muhammad Afzal Khan asked Ali Muhammad Khan to move a motion in the House for summoning the former prime minister in the committee. "I have no objection over summoning of the former prime minister, but all the people, who have been issuing such statements, should also be called," he added.

S A Iqbal Qadari alleged that NAB had been summoning the members of Muttahida Qaumi Movement without evidence. It was not appropriate for NAB to issue press releases relying on newspaper clippings, he added.

Muhamamd Talal Chaudhary said they were struggling for the supremacy of parliament and could not even think of insulting anyone. The press release issued by NAB had badly damaged the country's image, he added.

�The committee also passed "The Legal Practitioners and Bar Council (Amendment) Bill, 2018, after deliberations. However, it deferred "The Constitution (Thirtieth Amendment) Bill, 2017 (Government Bill) for further discussion in next meeting.

The meeting was attended by members of the National Assembly Rana Muhammad Afzal Khan, Muhammad Moeen Wattoo, Muhammad Tallal Chaudhry, Mian Adul Mannan, Sardar Muhammad Amjad Farooq Khan Khosa, Usman Ibrahim, Sabiha Nazir, Kiran Haider, Ali Muhammad Khan, Dr Arif Alvi, S A Iqbal Quadri, Moulana Muhammad Khan Sherani, Aisha Syed, and Rana Muhammad Hayat Khan.