NRO & Nawaz Sharif’s departure to UK: Govt, PML-N lock in war of words

ISLAMABAD: A war of words has begun between the government and the opposition Pakistan Muslim league-Nawaz (PML-N) after the former hinted at starting legal proceedings to bring ex-prime minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif back from the United Kingdom where he had gone for medical treatment.

Government ministers and the PML-N leaders in Pakistan are putting up a robust defence of their leaderships and dishing the dirt at each other. Federal Information and Broadcasting Minister Shibli Faraz Sunday posted documents through which he said the ‘PML-N limited’ had sought a National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) from the government. On the social networking site Twitter, the minister shared pages of proposed amendments by the PPP and PML-N to amend the Accountability Ordinance (NAO) 1999. He also wrote that for many days the PML-N had been demanding as to who had asked for the NRO. “So these are the sources and documents through which the NRO was sought,” he remarked.

The minister said history had shown that every time the PML-N leadership had taken the path of escaping from the country and the law. The documents, shared by Senator Shibli Faraz, state that “after ordering an inquiry or at the time of inquiry, before or after the commencement of the trial or during the pending appeal, any government official or any other if a person offers to return the assets or benefits acquired as a result of a crime, then under this Ordinance, the chairman NAB, considering the facts and aspects of the case, will consider his discretion and the terms and conditions he deems necessary and can accept this kind of offer.”

It further said that if any other person holding a public office agrees to refund the amount fixed by the chairman NAB, then the case might be referred to a court of appellate court for approval regarding a person keeping government post or any person or co-accused. The document states that if the NAB chairman refuses such an offer, a government official or any person can approach the court directly for consideration or approval of the offer.

According to the proposed amendments shared by Shibli Faraz, NAB will not file an investigation, inquiry or reference for the alleged crime after 5 years have elapsed since the crime was committed or the money was transferred.

The document stated that the NAB would not take any action on the allegations in the following circumstances:

i) Complaint made under anonymous or fictitious name.

ii) which does not include public money.

iii) The amount involved is less than Rs1 billion.

It should be noted that Prime Minister Imran Khan and members of the government often accuse the opposition of asking for NRO, while the prime minister often repeats in his speeches that no matter what happens, he will not give NRO to the opposition.

A few days ago, during the passage of FATF-related bills by the government, some ministers had also accused the opposition of seeking NRO under its cover.

The information minister in a recent news briefing warned that if Pakistan were to slip into the black list of FATF, then the responsibility for it would lie with the opposition parties, which he alleged, were trying to blackmail the government regarding their corruption.

He said still, four-five FATF-related pieces of legislation were to be adopted by the legislatures and in this context, the opposition's cooperation was imperative, being their national duty.

Meanwhile, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Accountability and Interior Shahzad Akbar Sunday clarified that the federal government had not introduced any clause in the anti-money laundering bill for detainment exceeding 170 days.

Shahzad Akbar criticized the PML-N leader Ahsan Iqbal for misguiding the nation once again on inclusion of a clause for non-bailable detainment of an accused person for more than 170 days.

In a video message on his Twitter, he said no clause had been introduced in the AML bill for even a single day of detainment regardless of Ahsan Iqbal’s allegation of 170-day captivity.

“I am challenging him [Ahsan Iqbal] to hold a clause-wise debate on the legislation; the nation will know the truth [of your allegations]. In the light of written recommendations of FATF [Financial Action Task Force’s], the government is amending the laws to make AML Act 2010 more clear by defining beneficial owner and increasing reporting points.”

The politician detailed that legal requirements are the AML Act 2010 being fulfilled, as the amended laws will increase jail term up to 10 years from five years. He revealed that the opposition had tried to completely end the role of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) from AML-related cases.

Shahzad Akbar added that it was the opposition’s lie against the anti-corruption watchdog for having incapable of investigating anti-money laundering cases.

Referring to the alleged money laundering cases against PML-N president, Shahzad Akbar said that NAB filed a reference against Shahbaz Sharif, which led the major opposition party to paralyse the anti-corruption watchdog.

Meanwhile, Federal Minister for Science and Technology Chaudhry Fawad Hussain asked Shahbaz Sharif to honor his commitment by fulfilling his responsibility as guarantor and bring back former prime minister Nawaz Sharif.

Talking to a private news channel, Fawad said Nawaz Sharif was allowed to leave the country on humanitarian and medical grounds and now time has vindicated his opposition to that decision by the federal cabinet in this regard.

He said the decision was made on the basis of his medical reports.

Fawad said Nawaz Sharif had left for abroad after formally signing an affidavit in 2001, but this time he made a fraudulent pretext. He said Nawaz Sharif was granted permission for treatment in abroad by the cabinet in the light of his medical reports.

The minister said there was no personal clash of Prime Minister Imran Khan with Nawaz Sharif but he added, all the cases against him must be taken to the logical end. Meanwhile, responding to the information minister, PML-N spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb said the "incompetent blue-eyed boys could not even legislate, which was why the National Assembly speaker had formed a parliamentary committee for the review of FATF laws".

She said approval for the committee had been accorded by the entire parliament. "Shibli Sahab, did the speaker ask for an NRO? Did the entire parliament ask for one?" Aurangzeb asked.

She said that by "waving these documents about in the public eye, Faraz was accusing the speaker and the parliament as well of seeking amnesty. The PML-N spokesperson said that the committee formed includes government officials who are "sought in cases pertaining to Malam Jabba, BRT, Billion Tree Tsunami, helicopter use, 23 secret accounts, foreign funding corruption, and are accused of stealing flour and sugar".

"They are being provided concessions for the past two years," she added. Aurangzeb said that meanwhile, the opposition had already served jail sentences and remained incarcerated in NAB custody.

"Their innocence has already been proven by the Supreme Court and high court verdicts, besides human rights organisations speaking out against the apparent NAB-Niazi nexus," said the PML-N leader.

She asked whether it is the opposition who would then "seek an NRO" or would the government representatives who "including the prime minister and president are absconding in ECP and NAB cases and do not appear before the court".

"We had challenged Imran Khan Sahab earlier as well to contemplate on who it is that is actually seeking an NRO from whom," Aurangzeb said. She said that the party had already said the "selected prime minister has no standing to even grant amnesty under the NRO".