NAB Chairman avoids answering queries related to new cases against PTI

National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman Aftab Sultan avoided answering questions related to the new cases against the anti-coalition government party, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). 

According to the 24News HD TV channel, the NAB chairman appeared before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) meeting chaired by its Chairman Noor Alam Khan on Wednesday.

After the meeting, NAB Chairman talked to the media but avoided to reply some questions related to PTI cases. Anyhow, he assured them that there is no pressure on them.  

To other queries related to the accountability laws and process, he said the National Accountability Act has been passed by the Parliament so he will not talk about it.

NAB Chairman Aftab said the Supreme Court has to decide on the amendments in the NAB Ordinance, so he cannot say anything in this regard.

On a query about the role of the institute and its officers in the past, he said he will only talk about himself and no one else.

He also assured them that in the future, no more questions will arise about NAB officers. He said to give him some time, Inshallah the institution will improve.

Earlier, in the PAC meeting, he briefed the progress of his institution and ongoing investigations.

In the meeting, PAC Chairman Noor Alam Khan asked the NAB chairman if they have sent some cases like BRT, Billion Tree Tsunami, Helicopter use, and Khyber Bank to him earlier, but progress on these inquiries is delayed.

In reply to this, the NAB chairman briefed the PAC that the BRT and Malam Jabba were old cases that were closed but now they have reopened and started work on them.

He said these cases will be solved soon but he cannot give a deadline in this regard. Anyhow, he assured the committee that efforts will be made to finalize these cases in six months.

Aftab Sultan told the committee that in the Bank of Khyber case, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) said that the challenge can only be a decision of the board.

The helicopter case has been finalized, and some civil servants, politicians, and journalists used it, Aftab Sultan confirmed adding that the NAB has asked the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government to recover money from these people while a copy has also been sent to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

Reporter: Usman Khan