ISLAMABAD: National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chaudhry Qamar Zaman has no influence over the Sharif family cases. The chairman, who has been abroad on a preplanned foreign tour, is due to return to Pakistan on Saturday.
The absence of the NAB chairman did not affect the probe as the combined investigation teams (CIT) of Lahore and Rawalpindi have been investigating the cases referred by the Supreme Court in the light of the verdict in Panama case.
“When it was decided in the first meeting – post Panama verdict – to investigate all the cases referred by the SC, the CITs were formed and were given a timeframe to conclude the investigation. The CITs have been investigating the cases in accordance to the time table while the honourable Justice Ijazul Ahsan has been overseeing the proceedings”, a NAB source told Pakistan Today.
“This is the first time that the investigations are being carried out seriously looking at the magnitude of the cases. Previously, whenever the probe on the cases was initiated, it was on the political basis as the previous governments were using the cases for political gains. Appointment of a judge to oversee the investigations by NAB is clearly making a difference”, he added.
Importantly, in October 2011, then NAB Chairman Fasih Bukhari signed an application and requested the accountability court to reopen three references against the Sharif family – the references to probe the very cases being probed in light of Panama Papers case – but was quashed on the political basis.
NAB spokesperson for Asim Ali Nawazish, talking to Pakistan Today regarding the proceedings, said that the both combined investigation teams of Lahore and Rawalpindi were investigating their cases in light of Panama case verdict and directions given by the Supreme Court while a judge was overseeing it. The CITs were not to answer the NAB chairman NAB but to the justice, he added.
