NAB summons Bilawal in JV Opal corruption case

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Rawalpindi office on Monday summoned Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on February 13 in the JV Opal-255 case.

According to details, the accountability watchdog has directed Bilawal Bhutto to bring all record of the Zardari Group from 2008 till 2019, and a list of board of directors of the company.

The PPP chairman has been accused of withdrawing Rs1.22 billion from a fake account for his private company.

Bilawal Bhutto claimed that he was young at that time, but contrary to his statement, the audit report contains his signature. The NAB obtained an audit report and documents containing his signature.

For the same case, NAB Chairman Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal had approved converting that inquiry into an investigation, and the bureau summoned Bilawal Bhutto for the fourth time. However, Bilawal Bhutto appeared before the investigation team only once.  According to NAB, Bilawal Bhutto had 25 percent shares in a private firm, Opal-225, a joint venture of the Zardari Group. PPP leaders together have been accused of transferring billions of rupees to Opal-225 via fake bank accounts. The company also took loans of billions of rupees from banks.

Sherry Rehman reaction

Pakistan People’s Party Senator Sherry Rehman strongly reacted to NAB notice served on PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, and termed reaction to Bilawal’s call for protest against PTI government.

“Whenever Bilawal speaks against the “selected” government, NAB springs into action against him. She claimed the PTI government is using NAB as a “vertical arm” against political opponents but Imran Khan should mind that he cannot frighten Bilawal,” she added.

Bakhtawar Bhutto Zardari

Bakhtawar Bhutto Zardari also criticised the government over NAB notice to Bilawal Bhutto. In a tweet Bakhtawar called Imran Khan a puppet Prime Minister. She flayed the government for poor performance. The government is busy with victimising opponent and has left nation at the mercy of profiteers and hoarders, she added.

Bakhtawar said that PPP leadership could not deter from taking on the mission of Shaheed ZAB and Shaheed Benazir Bhutto through such cowardice tactics. The PTI must remember that its leadership can no more hoodwink the nation with false and tall claims, she added.