Senate Deputy Chairman Saleem Mandviwala said on Sunday that the time has come for the accountability of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) as the public is now laughing at Bureau’s handling of cases, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
Addressing a news conference at National Press Club in Islamabad, Saleem Mandviwala announced that now the Senate will investigate the NAB officers and check their degrees as the Bureau is doing injustices to the people, and that will be going to take place for the first time.
He claimed that people have died in the custody of NAB. “We will call people in the Senate Human Rights Committee then you will know what had happened to them and their families,” he added.
“All parliamentarians from the opposition and government are united to expose the NAB. I will see who stops the Senate of Pakistan from probing anything,” he claimed.
The Senate Deputy Chairman said the Senate session will be convened and the lawmakers will ask questions from NAB’s Irfan Mangi and IO Mudassar.
“I have written a letter to the Prime Minister and I will also write to the Army Chief also in this regard,” Saleem Mandviwala maintained.
The Senate Deputy Chairman said he is waging jihad against the anti-graft body. He said now he will conduct an investigation against DG Irfan Mangi as it is important to know who Mangi is and what his agenda is.
“The country cannot make progress as long as some people in the NAB continue to act as goons. The NAB is a hurdle in the way of investment in the country,” he added.
The Senate Deputy Chairman also demanded that assets of all the NAB officers should be made public.
In another presser a few days ealier, Saleem Mandviwala had blasted the NAB for accusing him of a Benami transaction and then harassing him on this pretext. He had said the transaction for which the NAB has been accusing was with the Army. “It was the land of Mangla Corps over which I and my family did a transaction with the Army and I am very proud of it,” said the Senate Deputy Chairman.
He said “Now I will not keep mum as I and my family were accused of Benami transaction. I have decided to raise the human rights violations being committed by the NAB at all the international fora.” Mandviwala said then.
“People are quitting the country due to the NAB’s actions. The Senate of Pakistan is in NAB’s grip as parliamentarians are falling prey to the Bureau,” he maintained.
NAB Chairman
NAB Chairman Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal then took notice of the accusations levelled against the NAB by the Senate Deputy Chairman and sought a record of the case related to NAB Rawalpindi and directed to stay further proceedings till further orders.
“All parliamentarians are respected as per law,” NAB Chairman said. In a statement, Javed Iqbal said the Bureau will review the NAB Rawalpindi case.
The TV channel reported Chairman NAB will also inquire from Saleem Mandviwala about his position on the case. Chairman NAB said the anti-graft body will seek a record if it is very necessary by contacting federal and provincial governments.
Mandviwalla allegations hindering probe: NAB
However, the NAB had termed the allegations of Senate Deputy Chairman Saleem Mandviwalla an obstacle in the investigation.
NAB has released details of fake accounts case against Mandviwalla.
A statement issued by the NAB on Saturday last said that the allegations of the Deputy Chairman were an impediment and obstruction in the probe which was tantamount to corruption.
According to NAB, ex-MD PIA Ejaz Haroon had illegally allotted 12 plots. Mandviwalla and Ejaz Haroon made a suspicious deal with Abdul Ghani Majeed, receiving Rs140 million from a fake account with Rs80 million going to Ejaz Haroon and Rs60 million to Saleem Mandviwalla.
The NAB added Saleem Mandviwalla used the account of Mandviwalla Builders to conceal the received money. When NAB started investigating the matter, an attempt was made to show the corruption money as a loan. Saleem Mandviwalla used the money to buy plots in the name of his employee Abdul Qadir Shawani.
The NAB said that Saleem Mandviwalla sold the plots and bought shares in the name of another employee with the same amount. He bought 3 million shares of Mangla View for Rs30 million in the name of the employee with his own signature.
It said that Tariq, an employee of Saleem Mandviwalla, who owns millions of shares, is actually a benamidar. Instead of responding to the allegations, Saleem Mandviwalla was hiding behind the business community, the NAB said.