ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain on Sunday said the government had nothing to do with the affairs of National Accountability Bureau (NAB).
He dispelled the misperception being created by the opposition that NAB was targeting their leadership. The ministers and advisors were also being summoned by the Bureau, who also fully cooperated in the investigations, he said while talking to a news channel.
He said if NAB filed a reference against any government office bearer, he/she would have to quit the office. He cited the example of Babar Awan, who resigned as an advisor after a reference was filed against him.
He said the government wanted to amend the laws relating to NAB only to make it more powerful and independent to hold the corrupt accountable and bring back the looted national wealth to the exchequer.
On the other hand, the opposition was not sincere in that regard as they only wanted to make NAB toothless only to get scot free with stolen public money, he added.
Replying to a question, he said due to the 18th Constitutional Amendment, the standard of education and health sectors had declined, and the government wanted to improve many of its clauses, which at the time it was not a priority. Pakistan Peoples Party leader Asif Ali Zardari, he said, was creating a hype on the issue only for political benefits. It was because of his policies, the PPP once the symbol of federation, had been confined to one province, he added.
To another query, he said the government would accept the Supreme Court’s decision in the case pertaining to Azam Swati. They, however, were not satisfied with the report of the joint investigation team. Azam Swati and the aggrieved family had reached a mutual settlement, he added.
Fawad said there was no moral ground for the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) to demand chairmanship of the Public Accounts Committee. How it was possible that Shehbaz Sharif would hold an audit of the projects which were launched by his big brother Nawaz Sharif, he questioned.
Unlike other provinces, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa its assembly speaker had been appointing the PAC chairman for the last 30 years, he added.
He said the PML-N was responsible for the delay in the establishment of standing committees of the National Assembly due to its uncalled for demand regarding the PAC. The opposition, in fact, wanted to create a state of uncertainty in the country.
He, however, expressed the hope that the matter regarding the committees would be resolved before the NA session as Minister of Defence Pervez Khattak was holding talks with the opposition leaders.
He said Prime Minister Imran Khan would attend the next NA session.
He said the government was going to introduce a modern local bodies system in the country with a focus on the devolution of powers.
To a question, he said the leadership of Tehreek Labaik Pakistan had incited the people on rebellion against the state, which could not be accepted.