Pak's NAB seeks to reopen graft cases against Sharifs

Rezaul H Laskar

Islamabad, Sep 2 (PTI) Pakistan's controversial
anti-corruption watchdog Tuesday filed an application in a
court seeking resumption of a trial against former premier
Nawaz Sharif and his brother Shahbaz on graft charges, in what
would be seen as a politically motivated move.

The move by the National Accountability Bureau (N.A.B.),
which is under the law ministry, to reopen the case came just
nine days after Sharif pulled his Pakistan Muslim League
(Nawaz) P.M.L.-N party out of the Pakistan Peoples Party
(P.P.P.)-led ruling coalition.

There was no immediate reaction from the Sharif brothers
to the move to reopen charges against them.

These cases had been indefinitely adjourned last month by
an anti-corruption court in Rawalpindi on technical grounds.

Stating that the court's decision on August 21 to adjourn
the trial was "mistaken" and contained errors, N.A.B. said
that the anti-corruption court will take up the application
for hearing on Thursday.

In these cases former Premier Nawaz Sharif and his
brother Shahbaz, the Chief Minister of Punjab province, are
accused of siphoning off millions of rupees through tax frauds
and money laundering.

The trial against them relates to a paper mill, foundries
and assets at Raiwind in Lahore which were claimed to have
been acquired through illegal wealth.

The Sharif brothers have denied the corruption charges
and described them as politically motivated.
N.A.B.'s move surprised many in political circles as the
Senate or upper house of parliament had recently unanimously
passed a resolution for abolition of the anti-corruption
watchdog after its officials allegedly manhandled Senator
Safdar Abbasi of the ruling P.P.P.

A spokesman for N.A.B. had said last week that a
high-power committee headed by the Law Minister was framing
recommendations to repeal the N.A.B. Ordinance and to replace
it with a new law to ensure "accountability across the board".

Lawyers and civil society groups too had appreciated the
move to repeal the N.A.B. Ordinance, which they said was used
by the previous government to victimise political opponents
and as a tool to "buy the loyalties of members of political
parties".