Govt has decided to make Broadsheet documents public on PM's orders, says Akbar

(Karachi) Adviser to Prime Minister on Accountability and Interior Shahzad Akbar has said the country has been badly affected by deals made by previous governments and national reconciliation ordinances (NROs) issued in the past that cost the national exchequer billions of rupees.

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad on Monday, Akbar said that the government has decided to make public the judgment of a British court regarding Broadsheet and Pakistan involving liability and quantum awards.

"The documents are being made public after written approval was obtained from Broadsheet's lawyers," he stated.

The adviser said they had approached Broadsheet to make the judgment clear on the instructions of the prime minister to ensure transparency.

“The prime minister has formed a ministerial committee on Broadsheet and directed them to furnish its recommendations within 48 hours,” he said. "The government’s next course of action will be decided in the light of those recommendations."

He highlighted, “Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif went abroad in 2000 after making a deal with erstwhile president General (retd) Pervez Musharraf. Pakistan suffered the consequences of this NRO in the form of fine. The country is still being affected by the mistakes that former rulers made in the past.

“The contract between the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and Broadsheet was signed in June, 2000 and Nawaz Sharif went abroad in December, 2000 after deal with Pervez Musharraf," he said.

The adviser stated, “The anti-corruption watchdog ended the contract in 2003 and $ 1.5million were paid after settlement on 20 May, 2008. An appeal was lodged in high court in July 2019 but the verdict came in Broadsheet’s favor.”