Former Pak PM Nawaz Sharif demands NAB chief's ouster for ordering probe on basis of report about money laundering

Pakistan's ousted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif today demanded the resignation of anti-corruption watchdog chief for ordering a probe against him on the basis of a false media report which claimed that he had allegedly laundered USD 4.9 billion to India.

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Tuesday announced inquiry against Sharif on the basis of the report that USD 4.9 billion was laundered from Pakistan to India in 2016.

The World Bank has denied as "incorrect" the Pakistani media reports.

Sharif in a press briefing grilled NAB chief Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal for failure on his part to probe the report at internal level before going public with it.

"Does the NAB not know that the World Bank had issued a clarification two years ago and said there had been no money laundering? Does it not know that reputed newspapers like the Wall Street Journal, Dawn, Business Recorder had reported on the issue?", he asked.

He said that the NAB used an "unknown column in an unknown newspaper published four months ago" against him to begin an investigation.

"It is NAB's duty to answer all my questions within 24 hours and address these reservations. Failing to do so, the NAB should apologise to the nation and the chairman should resign," Sharif demanded.

He said that the NAB's actions against the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders were part of a pre-poll rigging.

The NAB chief defended his department and said anti-corruption drive will continue without any favour or prejudice to anybody.

"Whatever the NAB is doing it's doing for the country, for the people," the NAB chairman said in Peshawar.

"The NAB does not need any advertisement or any appreciation. If someone criticises or insults the NAB it's up to them but the NAB has been and will continue to exercise its rights in accordance with the law, the Constitution and also keeping in mind others' dignity," Iqbal said without naming Sharif or the botched probe into the money laundering.

He said that asking someone about the source of money or who they spent it while in public office was not a crime.

"And let's suppose it is a crime, then this crime will continue to be committed because it's in the interest of this country. The situation right now is that we can't tolerate corruption any more," the NAB chairman said.

The issue of flawed news of laundering USD 4.9 billion to India has been echoing in media and Parliament as PML-N and the government heavily criticised the NAB.

Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi speaking in the National Assembly yesterday accused the NAB of bias against Sharif and targeting him on the basis of a report which had already been rejected.

Sharif, 68, is facing three corruption cases in the accountability court following the Supreme Court's verdict in the Panama Papers case.

Pakistan's Supreme Court had disqualified Sharif last year, forcing the three-time prime minister to resign. He has also been disqualified from holding public office for life.

Sharif has dismissed the corruption charges as politically motivated. If convicted in the three corruption cases, he could be jailed.