Former Chief Minister Punjab Shehbaz sent on ten days physical remand by Accountability Court in Ashiana scam
By:Asghar Ali Mubarak
The former chief minister Punjab and leader of the opposition Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president Shehbaz Sharif was sent on a 10-days physical remand on Saturday after appearing before an Accountability Court Lahore in the Ashiana Housing scam case. The anti-graft watchdog arrested the PML-N president on Friday in the multi-billion rupee housing scam, the Ashiana-e-Iqbal Housing Project, after he was called to appear for a routine hearing in the Punjab Saaf Paani case. The accountability body had requested the court for a 14-day remand of the accused.
Authorities allowed Shehbaz’s sons, Hamza Shehbaz and Salman Shehbaz, to attend the hearing, presided by Judge Najamul Hasan.
Shehbaz was brought by NAB officials to the accountability court amid heavy security as charged crowds of PML-N workers and leaders were present outside the court premises.
Contingents of police and Punjab Rangers are deployed outside and inside the court while unauthorized personnel are prohibited from entering the court.
The PML-N president was brought to court in an armoured vehicle as scores of PML-N workers tried to block the route and attempted to stop the vehicle.
Addressing the media earlier on other day, PML-N leader Maryam Aurangzaib stated that “Shehbaz was present on Friday for the Saaf Pani (clean water) case. Ashiana scheme was a public-private ownership project for which he has been arrested,” and added that “NAB will have to answer for arresting Shehbaz during the investigation.”
“Shehbaz’s arrest can give rise to turmoil. The present government has used NAB for political victimisation. The reaction of the people of Punjab being witnessed was bound to occur due to the steps taken by the government.” the PML-N leader stated.
Shehbaz, who is also the Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly, was arrested by NAB inside its Lahore office where he was summoned to record his statement before a combined investigations team in connection with the Punjab Saaf Pani Company case.
The news of Shehbaz’s arrest came forth when his security staff and vehicle were sent back by NAB officials about 40 minutes after his arrival at the NAB office, and spread like wildfire.
Right after the arrest, the security of NAB office was beefed up. Extra contingents of police and rangers were deployed inside and outside the watchdog’s Lahore headquarters.Mean while a delegation of opposition leaders met National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser at his residence on Saturday to call a National Assembly (NA) session as soon as possible over the arrest of Leader of the Opposition Shahbaz Sharif’s arrest.
Led by former PML-N speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, the delegation also included Raja Zafarul Haq, Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl’s Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri and others.
NA Speaker Qaiser assured the delegation that an NA session will be called within 14 days.
“I will contact Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Pervez Khattak as well,” he added, hoping that a parliamentary session will be called in two to three days.
Following the meeting, the delegation delivered a media talk, where Sadiq linked Shabaz’s arrest with the upcoming by-elections.
“An attempt is being made to steal the by-elections,” he said. “The government only has a lead of four members.
Shahbaz was called for Saaf Pani Case but arrested in Ashiana case. PML-N is being made a target of political vengeance. The government is using the NAB.” He referred to Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry’s comments, where he said that Shahbaz’s arrest was the “first step”, asking it NAB would now arrest people on the government’s orders.
He also questioned the timing of the decision to place the names of Khawaja Saad Rafique on the Exit Control List, saying that he was one of the candidates of the upcoming elections.
While the former speaker clarified that he supported the accountability of politicians, he asked: “Who would hold NAB accountable?”
Leader of the Opposition in Senate, Raja Zafarul Haq also expressed concern over the development and said that the “entire country was sad” at Shahbaz’s arrest. He repeated Sadiq’s demand for an NA session and insisted that “it was important that production orders for opposition leader Shahbaz Sharif are also issued”.
Meanwhile, JUI-F leader Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haidery termed Shahbaz’s arrest as “shameful” and claimed that the government was “making cowardly decisions against one party”.
“Opposition will not remain silent,” he warned and added that: “It seems the government has decided to go home already.”
