News
Friday, October 21, 2011
Zardari a hurdle in formation of accountability body* Nisar announces to challenge NAB chairman’s appointment in court
* Shows concerns over decision to grant India MFN status
By Tanveer Ahmad
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Thursday declared President Asif Ali Zardari a ‘huge obstruction’ in establishment of an independent accountability organ and stated to move Supreme Court (SC) on Saturday against appointment of Admiral (r) Fasih Bokhari as Chairman National Accountability Bureau (NAB).
Nisar expressed his party’s serious concerns over government’s decision to grant Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status to India.
The claims were made by leader of the opposition in National Assembly (NA) Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan while speaking at a news conference here at Punjab House. Nisar informed the media that he, as a leader of the opposition, had been given responsibility, by his party to file petition in the apex court against the move. He said that the petition would be filed by his lawyer Akram Sheikh, who, according to Nisar, had been given the task to prepare the petition to be submitted with the SC. “One thing is clear that Zardari is a ‘big obstacle’ in formation of an independent and free accountability body,” Nisar said, adding “if an independent person is appointed as chairman NAB, the fist case, he would be taking up, is $60 million (Swiss Money) of Zardari”.
He also termed appointment of new chairman NAB a negation of four verdicts of the apex court, adding that the government had committed a same false procedure earlier adopted in the case of Justice (r) Deedar Hussain Shah. He regretted that Zardari and his team had made ‘mockery’ of head of the constitutional body and reiterated his party demand that a person acceptable to all should be appointed to the slot after thoughtful and purposeful consultations, able to undertake fearless accountability of government and opposition alike.
The leader of the opposition further said that the time had come that the apex court also come up with interpretation of the term ‘consultation’, which was a constitutional requirement. He also expressed party’s reservations over the government move to grant Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status to India, saying the move would have far-reaching consequences on geo-political and economic situation, as the status being given is more than the normal trade.
He said it was PML-N principled position that it wanted that the two atomic powers should resolve their issues through dialogue process, but he added that India was a big hurdle in resolving the outstanding issues through dialogue.
“We have serious reservation on the granting MFN status to India in an atmosphere where New Delhi is reluctant to move back a single on its principal stance,” he said, adding, “We must resolve the issue through dialogue but not at the cost of national interests, not at the cost of Kashmir and all those India would bulldoze on us”, he maintained. He was of the view that India had repeatedly cheated Pakistan in each critical time.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk