‘Let NAB do its work’: Fawad fires back at opposition in chaotic NA session

ISLAMABAD: Federal Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry on Wednesday lashed out at the opposition following its objections to the recent arrest of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader Saad Rafique and his brother, Salman, in connection to a corruption probe.

Chaudhry, speaking on the floor of the National Assembly, claimed that “those making the most noise” did not want accountability, and called on the opposition to let the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and the courts “do their job”.

Khawaja Saad Rafique, a former railways minister, and his brother Salman Rafique were arrested after the Lahore High Court rejected their request for an extension in their pre-arrest bail in the Paragon Housing Society scam.

Opposition leader Shehbaz Sharif, who attended today’s National Assembly session on a transit remand, slammed Rafique’s arrest and demanded a production order for the former minister.

The PML-N president also alleged that misuse of authority was being carried out in the name of accountability.

Fawad Chaudhry, in response, fired back that the PML-N had not had “the right upbringing” since it was not even giving him a chance to address their concerns. His remarks, however, caused an uproar from the opposition party, which demanded that the information minister take back his words.

The ensuing ruckus also saw Shehbaz and a few other leaders from the opposition walk out of the session in protest.

Once order was restored, Chaudhry called on the opposition to let NAB and the courts do their work.

“NAB is doing its work. Let NAB do its work, let the courts do their work,” the minister said, adding that the ongoing cases against political leaders were initiated during the tenure of the past governments.

“The current government won’t become a hurdle in the path to accountability,” he continued.

Chaudhry said the way the country had been run in the past 10 years was in front of everyone. “The public wants accountability for the looting carried out in the past 10 years. The current government is a representative of the public’s wishes,” he said.

“There is free and fair accountability for the first time in Pakistan’s history,” he said, adding that the prime minister is committed to eliminating corruption from the country.