Justice (R) Azmat Saeed to head commission investigating Broadsheet matter

Justice (retd) Azmat Saeed will investigate the Broadsheet scandal despite reservations from the Opposition parties.

According to the details, the cabinet approved the formation of a single-member commission headed by Justice (retd) Azmat Saeed to investigate the Broadsheet matter.

The PPP and PML-N had rejected the name of the former Supreme Court judge to investigate the matter saying he was with the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) when the deal was signed with the asset recovery firm.

The PML-N is of the view that because the top court judge was in the Panama bench which disqualified former Nawaz Sharif and is a member of Shaukat Khanum Memorial Hospital’s Board of Governors so it does not believe a transparent probe would be conducted.

Briefing the media about the federal cabinet decisions and replying to their questions on Tuesday, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Shibli Faraz Tuesday said the commission was set up under the Commission of Inquiry Act 2017, instead of a committee, to investigate the Broadsheet case to bring the truth before the nation.

The Imran Khan led government tasked the commission to probe Hudaibiya Sugar Mills scam and Surrey Palace of the PPP leaders as well.

The inquiry commission would submit its findings on the Broadsheet issue within 45 days and expose those who had played a key role in destroying the country’s economy. The commission, as per its terms of reference (ToRs), could summon any institution or individual or seek documents.

Federal Information Minister Shibli Faraz said the Broadsheet case had exposed as to how the past regimes had put political expediency over morality to give safe passage to the corrupt people, which eventually led to the acceptance of corruption in society.

Shibli clarified that the Broadsheet issue investigation was not against the government rivals but those, who were criminals and had a role in causing massive financial and moral loss to the nation.

The minister claimed that the opposition was raising hue and cry over his name, as they knew he was an honest person and was capable of taking the matter to its logical end.

He said the government’s objective was to let the nation know, how certain characters, resorted to political expediency and got an NRO [deal]. “Please, don’t give it a political colour,” he said.

He continued that again these very characters touted 34 amendments to the NAB law, which itself was an NRO, they wanted and even former premier Shahid Khaqan Abbasi demanded pack-up of the anti-graft body.