Alleged use of govt planes by Shehbaz, Maryam to be referred to NAB

ISLAMABAD: The government has decided to send cases of alleged financial misuse by the previous Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz government to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

Addressing a press conference, Advisor to Prime Minister Shehzad Akbar and Special Assistant to PM Iftikhar Durrani shared details of the alleged misuse of government resources by Shehbaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz, brother and daughter of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, respectively.

Durrani said that Shehbaz, former chief minister Punjab, spent over Rs600 million on travel expenses borne by the federal government. The government has decided to refer this case to NAB.

Further, he accused Maryam, a senior PML-N leader, of travelling in a government plane, amounting to approximately Rs32million. A case of misuse of authority against her will also be referred to NAB, Durrani added.

Akbar added that they are currently confirming the use of PM's planes by Shehbaz.

An investigation will also be carried out in the expenditure on entertainment and gifts given to dignitaries, etc. 

"The was a 218 per cent increase in gifts and entertainment [expenditure] from 2013-14. In 2014-15 it was 135% then the next year it was 193%. In 2016-17 it was 256%" said Akbar.

Moreover, Rs275 million were spent on Nawaz’s Jati Umra residence out of national exchequer, he said.

He said that the government will hand over the record of the PM and CM Punjab offices to the NAB. The bureau will conduct an independent investigation into the matter, he added.

The advisor also spoke about the discovery of another property allegedly owned by Nawaz in central London, which he said is worth 2.2 or 2.3 million pounds. 

He said that no declaration of the property has been found in any of the wealth statements submitted to the Election Commission of Pakistan by Nawaz.

PML-N spokesperson Maryam Aurangzeb said that Shehbaz used government planes and helicopters for the services of masses under the ambit of the constitution, in reaction to the press conference.   

She said that the PML-N president refused to buy Rs4 billion worth helicopter despite having the required mandate during his tenure as Punjab chief minister.

"Rents were paid to the federal government for their helicopters as the Punjab government's helicopter was not up to the mark for service," he said. 

Aurangzeb said that Shehbaz never took a single penny from the Punjab government as chief minister for his private plane travels.   

"PM Imran should give his response for the usage of KP helicopter for his personal use. Rather levelling false allegations, the premier should give clarification to the NAB."