Me and my family facing media trial: Saad

LAHORE: The Railways Minister, Khawaja Saad Rafique, on Tuesday termed the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) law as black and said he had never endorsed the accountability process led by Saif-ur-Rehman.

Saad said no one could force or influence the PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif to make wrongs decisions, as he did not take pressure from anyone. “Nawaz Sharif does not make wrong decisions. No one can influence him to make wrong decisions. All the decisions are made after consultation in the party,” he stressed.

Addressing a press conference at the Railways Headquarters, he said: “My point of view regarding accountability is a part of record. The purpose of accountability is something else whenever the slogan of accountability had been raised in the country.” Saad, who earlier in the day visited the NAB office in connection with an ongoing inquiry, said he and his family had been facing a media trial for the last few months.

The federal minister said he submitted written answers to the questions asked by NAB. “If NAB asks further questions, I will give my point of view in writing on time,” he said. Saad said he and his brother [Khawaja Salman Rafique] served the ministries assigned day and night with sincerity. He said the railways’ income was Rs 18 billion when he took charge of the ministry. “The railways now earns Rs 50 billion,” said Saad who was flanked by Punjab Auqaf Minister Zaeem Qadri. Saad said he and his family served the country. “We did not get permits, contract and other benefits,” he said and added it was unfair on the part of the media to portray him as corrupt.

He regretted that both the PPP and PML-N governments did nothing about the NAB law. “We will continue our struggle for democracy and the rule of law in the country,” said the federal minster. “Rather creating anarchy in the country, let's move towards election. Let the people decide who is right and who is wrong.”

Saad said he has opposed the way when the former premier Yousaf Raza Gilani was sent home. “Some members of our party favoured it which was not good. It was their point of view. The way Jahangir Tareen was disqualified, should not happen with Sheikh Rasheed,” he said. The minister said the PML-N and Chaudhry Nisar should not part their ways. “I do not agree with Nisar on some points. I will try to bring them closer and solve the issue,” said Saad.

Saad said Imran Khan would lose in “the unholy matrimonial” with Asif Ali Zardari. He added no one could stop those who changed their political loyalties, “but some of them become aware of the loss by changing political loyalties”.

About the meeting between Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Chief Justice Saqib Nisar, he said such meetings should be held between the heads of the institutions for the people’s welfare and the country. “Democracy allows healthy discourse. We struggled hard for the judiciary in the past. We do not want relief from the judiciary,” he said and added the government, judiciary and army should be on the same page. Saad said there would not be any privatisation of the railways but private-public partnership could not be banned.

Earlier, the senior PML-N leader appeared before the NAB and recorded his statement in the Ashiana Housing scandal. Saad and his younger brother had skipped previous interview, citing their unavoidable official engagements. According to a NAB official, the federal minister remained inside the NAB office for more than an hour, during which he was questioned about the Paragon Housing Society. A performa was handed ver to Saad, asking him to return the same within a fortnight.

On the other hand, Khawaja Salman is due to appear before NAB today (Thursday). Similarly, NAB has also summoned for the second time the incumbent secretary to the prime minister, Fawad Hassan Fawad, who has already recorded his statement in the same case a couple of months back.

Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and other government officials have also recorded their statements before NAB. Over a half a dozen accused government officials, including former Lahore Development Authority DG Ahad Khan Cheema, are under arrest in the case involving an award of contract to a private firm.