News Analysis |
The former ruling party Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) is passing through some very difficult times. In the latest development, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has detained former railway minister Mr. Khawaja Saad Rafique and his brother Mr. Khawaja Salman Rafique after their bail pleas were rejected by the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Tuesday.
On the same day, the NAB has initiated an inquiry against the former Minister of State, Marriyum Aurangzeb for alleged misuse of her authority. According to the sources, NAB has started this investigation on a tip-off from an ‘anonymous’ complainant. A spokesperson reportedly added that the accountability watchdog had received details of assets owned by the former state minister for information and broadcasting.
PM Khan has also that the NAB has been working independently and nobody is dictating the watchdog in any capacity.
The watchdog has reportedly accused Marriyum Aurangzeb of several illegal appointments misusing her authorities. It is pertinent to mention here that after the resignation of Mr. Pervez Rashid the charge of the state minister for information and broadcasting. Ms. Marriyum is also the spokesperson for the former ruling party. She has been a critic of the Prime Minister Imran Khan and his policies since the day first.
Read more: Shehbaz, Hamza, Abbasi, Aurangzeb; FIRs booked against the PML-N clan
She was recently in the news when on December 6, former PTV chairman Attaul Haq Qasmi had accused Marriyum Aurangzeb of being a “liar who fabricated facts and then framed him in the PTV corruption case”. “Marriyum Aurangzeb is a liar and is not faithful to any party. I have said this to her on her face,” Qasmi had remarked in a TV interview.
Mr. Qasmi also alleged that Ms. Marriyum also did not know anything about the journalists. “She doesn’t know anything or any journalists. She showed me a lot of attitude and I honestly don’t think Marriyum Aurangzeb is sincere to any political party,” he had explained while adding, “they didn’t find anything against me and eventually forged a case pertaining to the budget of a programme. I will file an appeal against the judgment”.
Ms. Marriyum is also the spokesperson for the former ruling party. She has been a critic of the Prime Minister Imran Khan and his policies since the day first.
This is a new development and if the NAB continues to work independently and impartially then there is much to worry about for the former ruling party. Analysts believe that PML-N will use all tactics to create a narrative as if they are being targeted for political reasons. As a matter of fact, the anti-corruption watchdog has come up with many interesting factual details to establish cases against the leaders of the former ruling party.
Read more: Did Marriyum Aurangzeb remove PM’s speech from PTV?
Interestingly, the watchdog has already booked the PML-N’s supremo Mr. Nawaz Sharif, his younger brother and opposition leader in the National Assembly Mr. Shahbaz Sharif and some other influential PML-N leaders in proven and alleged corruption cases. The initiation of inquiry by the NAB against Ms. Marriyum is likely to generate a new debate and PML-N media giants will obliviously make attempts to prove it to be a move aimed at political victimization.
The NAB is expected to stay firm on its stated objectives and non-compromising stance. Prime Minister Khan has repeatedly said he will not make any compromise on the rule of law and no NRO will ever be signed with any opposition party to avoid the process of accountability. PM Khan has also that the NAB has been working independently and nobody is dictating the watchdog in any capacity.