Government ready to sit with opposition parties on public interest issues: Shahzad Akbar

ISLAMABAD: Advisor to the Prime Minister on Accountability and Interior Barrister Shahzad Akbar on Monday said that the government was ready to sit with opposition parties only to discuss public interest issues.

Speaking about a motion moved by leader of the opposition Raja Zafarul Haq and others, he said that Pakistan’s accountability process was in line with the international democracies.

He said that Pakistan is bound to have an accountability bureau under the United Nations convention on corruption.

Akbar said that latest rulings of FATF had also suggested to make anti-corruption laws more stringent.

He said that most of the cases against opposition’s leaders were registered by the previous governments.

PTI believed in non interference in NAB affairs, he said and rejected opposition parties' stance of political victimization.

He said that assets beyond known sources law existed in many other countries.

He said that accountability bureau and its laws were not made by PTI government.

He said that National Accountability Ordinance was introduced in 1996, adding that interim government at that time made prominent journalist Najam Sethi as its first chairman.

He said that this law was endorsed by PML-N government in 1997 with single amendment and passed as act of Parliament through which cases could be investigated from 1990 instead of 1985.

PPP and PML-N remained in government for ten years and they made many legislation but avoided a single amendment in NAB laws.

Shahzad said that in last two years of PTI government, NAB has recovered Rs. 389 billion.

While the PMl-N-and PPP during their 10 year governments had recovered only Rs 104 billion which reflects the clear difference in performance.

He said that Anti corruption department in Punjab during last 27 months had recovered Rs. 206 billion.

While, only Rs 3 billion had been recovered in ten years of the last governments.

Responding to human rights violations he said, that total 13 deaths were reported during NAB custody.

He said that out of 13, ten deaths were happened during judicial custody and NAB has nothing to do with these deaths.

He said that Asad Munir was also died at home not in the custody of NAB.

He said that two deaths were reported in NAB lock up but there was no proof of torture.

He said that opposition not alleged NAB but the government for victimization and “if you alleged the government you will get response from us also”, he added.