- DG NAB confirmed to Arab News that former Prime Minister of Pakistan was summoned on corruption charges
- The other person in the Sharif family summoned by the NAB is Imran Ali, son-in-law of Punjab Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif
LAHORE: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has summoned two members of the Sharif family, including deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif, to “record their plea” in the investigations on misuse of power and graft charges, says Director General NAB, Lahore Chapter, Shahzad Saleem.
“We have asked Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif to appear in person before a joint investigation team to get recorded his plea with the relevant record. He has been summoned for misusing his authority as prime minister to influence District Council Lahore for the widening of a road leading to his Jati Umra residence with the convince??? of his brother Mian Shahbaz Sharif, then chief minister of the Punjab,” Saleem told Arab News here on Saturday.
The other person in the Sharif family summoned by the NAB is Imran Ali, son-in-law of Punjab Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif.
The NAB issued a call-up notice charging Nawaz Sharif hours before the apex court of the country, on Friday, declaring him ineligible to hold any public or political office for life.
The notice reads that in a construction project, the road’s width was increased from 20 to 24ft, escalating the project cost, and the District Council, Lahore had to drop various other projects of public welfare at the cost of the project. It was all because of the "undue influence" of Nawaz Sharif.
Political analysts believe this notice was a reaction to the "narrative of Nawaz Sharif" in the public gatherings when he made allegations against the judiciary and the establishment.
Salim Bokhari, senior analyst and editor of an English daily, The Nation, said Sharif is getting what he asked for: "confronting the judiciary and armed forces will ultimately result in a total mess, not only with Nawaz Sharif but his party PML-N as well.”
But other analysts believe that the opening of a case pertaining to the construction of a road after 20 years will establish that "vengeful" activities are being initiated against Sharif.
“A road was constructed 20 years ago and now it (the revelation) that authority was misused by the chief executive of the country and the province seems unbelievable. General Pervaiz Musharraf also took such steps against Sharif but could not establish the crime. This will create sympathies for the Nawaz family in the hearts of the masses and move will prove counter-productive,” said Mujeebur Shami, senior political analyst and editor-in-chief of Daily Pakistan.
No one was available from PML-N to comment on the NAB notices.