NAB chairman fails to appear before NA panel over allegations against Nawaz

National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chairman Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal did not turn up on Wednesday before the National Assembly Standing Committee on Law and Justice regarding the money laundering issue of Nawaz Sharif.

The NAB chief asked to be excused from appearing before the committee as he had received the summon notice in the morning and already had prior commitments for the day, local media reported.

The committee had summoned Iqbal regarding a NAB press release, which stated that it would  investigate former Prime Minister Sharif’s alleged money laundering of $ 4.9 billion to India.

The NAB chief ordered an investigation after he took notice of a report that was published by the World Bank two years ago. The report carried information that Sharif, along with some others, allegedly laundered $4.9 billion to India. The NAB chief had then ordered a probe into the matter.

However, the State Bank of Pakistan had categorically rejected the report, which was published in 2007, claiming that the report does not include any mention of money laundering nor does it name any individuals.

Sharif had demanded that NAB chief should provide proof against him or resign after the press release by NAB stating its intentions to start a probe into the issue.