Agha Siraj Durrani’s arrest: Senior journalists weigh in

Sindh Assembly Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani was arrested by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) from a private hotel in Islamabad on Wednesday. The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader was under investigation in three cases pertaining to illegal appointments, assets beyond means and embezzlement of funds.

Geo News spoke with senior journalists and asked what the arrest means for the political situation in the country.

Hamid Mir – Senior journalist, host Capital Talk

“This case was under investigation and it doesn’t seem this is a message for PPP but for all political parties. According to our reports, NAB is going to arrest some other important personalities. In the coming days, NAB may take important personalities from the government and opposition into their custody.”

“It is this system which has made NAB and its laws. NAB is a government institution and I do not think that a balancing act is taking place. What is written on the wall is that in the coming days more problems will rise for the government. The ministers of the government are openly criticizing the government. On one end the government is involved in tension with the opposition but I do not think this would lead to an increase in that tension. The cases being investigated by NAB would just not create problems for the Sindh government, but problems can also rise in another province. A major crisis can be created for a person in the centre as well. I don’t think there will be tension between the government and opposition, rather between Parliament and NAB. The personalities who will be under scrutiny, the government will have no option but to speak out against NAB like the opposition is doing right now.”

Mazhar Abbas – Senior journalist

“This is an important arrest. Yesterday the Supreme Court dismissed review petitions of Asif Zardari and Faryal Talpur. This signals that they [Zardari, Talpur] and others including Chief Minister Sindh Qaim Ali Shah can be arrested. In this situation would the Sindh government come close to collapsing? In my opinion, there will be a major crisis in the Sindh government. This will definitely increase political tension. The important thing is that the investigation of the fake accounts case has not moved forward and the trial has not begun. But, those who have investigated this case especially the FIA, there are reports in today’s newspapers that rewards have been announced for them. 16 officers have been rewarded Rs500,000 each. A case has not reached its conclusion but investigators have been given rewards. I think the arrest of Agha Siraj Durrani is not so important for the person rather if it is seen as the arrest of the Sindh Assembly Speaker we can expect a reaction on it and in this atmosphere any political tension is not good for Pakistan.”