NAB 'kills people and drops their bodies at hospitals', Senate's Mandviwalla claims

• Mandviwalla mentioned that the parliamentarians agree with the issue he raised
• Speaks of NAB's "fear and harassment", says "everyone comes and whispers to me that they'd tell me what they went through"
• Says NAB Chair Justice (r) Javed Iqbal "will come to us himself and he will not violate the Constitution"
• Parliamentarians "can raise and file a privilege motion at any time, at any place", says Mandviwalla

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's anti-graft watchdog is engaged in human rights violations, Senate Deputy Chairperson Saleem Mandviwalla claimed on Wednesday, accusing the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for "killing people and dropping off their bodies at hospitals".

Mandviwalla said he had spoken to civil liberty bodies about the anti-corruption watchdog's alleged malpractices but they feared highlighting the matter as it would "tarnish Pakistan's image" around the world.

"NAB accuses everyone of being thieves and robbers", he said, asking: "How dare it level such allegations against people?

"Women call and narrate what the NAB has done to them and their families. This institution is killing people and, when they die, it leaves their bodies in the hospital.

NAB 'a monster'

"NAB is violating human rights. I spoke to human rights organisations about it but they are afraid that talking about it will ruin Pakistan's image. Not a day goes by when I do not receive a call about the NAB's [alleged] atrocities and its actions," he said.

The Senate official claimed he had received calls from abroad wherein people told him they left the country due to the anti-graft body's harassment.

"We have made the NAB into a monster," he added, challenging the watchdog's representatives to appear in front of a committee if they had done nothing wrong.

"NAB Chairperson [Justice (r) Javed Iqbal] should have the courage to listen to these families' woes," he added, underlining that he would provide a list of people who have been affected by the anti-corruption body.

'Fear and harassment'

Later, while speaking to reporters in Islamabad, Mandviwalla said he would write to the Senate chairperson again if need be and "if I have to submit another requisition for a meeting, I will do so".

"I've been getting notices [from the NAB] for the past year and a half and I've been writing letters to the NAB chairperson since the past year and a half.

"There's a limit to everything. Everyone comes and whispers to me that they'd tell me what they went through [at the hands of the NAB]. What is this? What is such fear and harassment for? There's no issue of arrest right now."

The Senate's deputy chair underscored that NAB Chairperson Justice (r) Javed Iqbal would "come to us himself and he will not violate the Constitution" since the latter was a former judge.

"There's no need for rumours you've spread about arrests and I believe he will follow whatever's required in the Parliament," he added.

'Stop meddling in the Parliament's workings'

Moreover, Mandviwalla strongly criticised Prime Minister Imran Khan's aide on accountability, Barrister Mirza Shahzad Akbar, advising him "not [to] tell the parliamentarians what to do" and "stop meddling" in the Parliament's affairs.

The aide did not have any right to tell him not to pass a privilege motion, he said. "So now Shahzad Akbar will tell the parliamentarians how to run the Parliament? I want to tell him that a privilege motion is a right of each parliamentarian, not just mine.

"They can raise and file a privilege motion at any time, at any place, and you're no one to tell parliamentarians not to call meetings or raise privilege motions. Focus on your own work and stop meddling in the Parliament's workings," he added.

The Senate's deputy chair underlined that the parliamentarians being mentioned had worked with him in the Opposition and were in agreement with him on the issue he had raised. "They may probably not speak in the press about it but they're all standing strong with me and you see what happens the day the [Parliament] session is called," he stressed.

The businessperson-turned-politician further noted how people had shown some reservations and that he was waiting for someone to come to him and speak about it.

'This does not end here'

In response to a reporter's question as to whether he took time before contacting the chambers of commerce across Pakistan, he said there was no fixed time for such matters and that it was "a continuing process".

"Now that this [matter] has been taken up, all businesspersons and chairpersons are on board. You've seen how none of the chambers have said whatever is happening is not right," he explained.

Mandviwalla dared journalists to mention a single businessperson or chamber official who would say what he was doing was not okay. "These are ignorant questions, now that this has commenced, God willing, there will be a result," he said.

Responding to another question, he said the Senate was the appropriate platform for him to raise such issues. "Do you want me to go on the roads and talk about it? Or do you want me to approach the press?

"I'm a parliamentarian, I'm in the Senate, so obviously I'll speak about it in the Senate. Who are they to tell me not to do what I'm doing in the Senate. I take offence to this," he underlined.

"This does not end here. If they think this has concluded, they are wrong. It's not ended."