‘NAB and PTI are in an unholy alliance,’ Shahbaz says in parliament

(media92news)
PML-N President and Leader of the Opposition Shahbaz Sharif on Wednesday addressed the National Assembly session convened on the opposition’s demands to protest his arrest by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

The PML-N president has been in custody of the NAB since Oct 5 in the Ashiyana-i-Iqbal housing scam. His production orders were issued by NA Speaker Asad Qaiser last week, after the opposition requested him to convene a session.

At the outset of his speech, Shahbaz thanked opposition parties and leaders — in particular PPP chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.

“This is the first time in history that an opposition leader was arrested without any charges in such a hasty manner,” said Shahbaz, adding he did not want to discuss the merit of the case against him. “I want to talk about the unholy alliance between PTI and NAB.”

“During the election campaign, I openly said that PTI and NAB are arm in arm.

He pointed out that only PML-N members were arrested by NAB and that his arrest came right before the by-elections. “But man imposes and God disposes,” said Shahbaz, adding that despite all efforts, PML-N members won many seats [in the by-polls] that were won by PTI previously.

Shahbaz, speaking about the references and verdicts against his brother Nawaz Sharif, said: “NAB court’s verdict [in Avenfield reference] clearly says that no corruption could be proven against Nawaz Sharif.”

“Yet, he was arrested. He came back, leaving behind his very sick wife who is no more today, to satisfy his conscience.

“We need to find answers to this. You are the custodian of this house, Mr Speaker,” said Shahbaz.

“I’m not here to argue my case, I’m not here to cry, or discuss the merit of the case,” he reiterated, but went on to narrate details of different aspects of the case.

“A NAB official told me that in the Ashiyana-i-Iqbal housing scam, there is no corruption allegations against you, but that you tried to use your political influence to pass this project on to Kamran Kayani, the younger brother of the then army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani.

“I told him [NAB official] that I first met Kamran Kayani in 2008, when we formed a coalition government in Punjab. Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi was in power at that time.

Shahbaz recalled telling General Kayani to ask his brother Kamran to do his job properly. “General Kayani told me to cancel the contract if Kamran was not delivering.”

“Later, Kamran promised me that he wouldn’t give me a chance to complain again. However when he didn’t deliver I withdrew the contract from him. Gen Ashfaq Kiani has never complained to me about it.”