ISLAMABAD: The National Accoutability Bureau (NAB) on Thursday has approved the filing of references against Nawaz Sharif, Asilf Ali Zardari and Yousaf Raza Gillani over allegations of distributing Toshakhana’s luxury cars among themselves.
According to the details, NAB chairman Justice Javed Iqbal presided over a meeting of the executive board which discussed the matter pertaining to the misuse of Toshakhana – a storehouse for gifts received by the president, prime minister, ministers, and other government officials during their tenure. Former president and premiers were nominated in the reference regarding Toshakhana’s luxuries.
It is to be noted that Nawaz Sharif and Yousuf Raza Gillani have been questioned by the anti-graft watchdog about the vehicles.
During the meeting, the NAB chief said that priority of NAB was to eradicate corruption from the country besides recovering the looted money from plunderers.
“NAB is now concentrating on taking mega corruption cases to their logical conclusion,” he stated. He revealed that 1,275 corruption references involving Rs943 billion were currently being heard in different accountability courts of the country.
By pursuing the policy of “Accountability for All”, he said: “the NAB has been striving to recover billions of rupees looted from the general public”.
He has also directed all directors general to ensure completion of complaint verification, inquiries and investigations within the prescribed timeframe.
On July 5, 2019, anti-corruption team interrogated Nawaz Sharif at Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat prison related to the Toshakhana luxury vehicles and bulletproof vehicle references.
“As a prime minister, it was not my duty to keep a check upon the presents or gifts that I was given. All the presents that I had received as the prime minister, had been submitted to the national exchequer,” said Nawaz Sharif.
