Senate Deputy Chairman Saleem Mandviwala on Sunday blasted the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for accusing him of a Benami transaction and then harassing him on this pretext, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
Addressing a news conference at National Press Club in Islamabad, a bellegerent Saleem Mandviwala 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 was accused of Benami transaction. I have decided to raise the human rights violations being conducted by NAB at all the international fora.”
Mandviwala said “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. I had already written letters to the army chief and the prime minister in this regard. The country’s economy is on the verge of collapse but the NAB is blackmailing people.”
He said “The NAB people called me to their office and threatened me with the arrest of my family members. NAB DG Engineer Irfan Mangi’s job is to engineer cases against people.”
Mandviwala claimed Irfan Mangi had said he received instructions from Rawalpindi. “Now, I will myself conduct investigation against Mangi. 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 will continue to act as goons. The NAB is a hurdle in the way of investment in the country.”
He demanded that all assets of all the NAB officers should be made public. “A list should be prepared of the people with whom the NAB officers plea-bargained. There will be no need for war as NAB will destroy the country the way it is behaving,” he added.
“NAB even put Mufta Ismail, who belongs to a businessman family, in jail,” he said.
The Senate of Pakistan Committee will now investigate the case in the Upper House contrary to the NAB which used to investigate cases behind closed rooms. “Pakistan is under threat from NAB contrary to the facts where NAB Chairman assured businessmen of facilities.”
Saleem Mandviwala added that 99 percent of people did plea-bargaining with the NAB to save their business and honour. He alleged, “The NAB will destroy our country. I have been writing letters since 2018.”
Earlier, National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Tuesday submitted a report to the accountability court of Islamabad about the freezing of the assets of Senate Deputy Chairman Saleem Mandviwala in connection with the fake accounts case.
The anti-corruption watchdog informed the court that it had frozen 3.1 million shares of different companies registered in the name of Mandviwala with the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP).
NAB Chairman takes notice
NAB Chairman Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal 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 record if it is very necessary by contacting federal and provincial governments.