ISLAMABAD: Former Prime Minister (PM) Nawaz Sharif on Thursday served a legal notice to National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman Justice (r) Javed Iqbal for levying baseless accusations against him.
Nawaz served Iqbal a legal notice under section 8 of the Defamation Ordinance 2002, which allows a person to demand action on slander against him.
The notice states that NAB Chairman issued a baseless and defamatory press release on May 8, claiming that Nawaz had illegally sent $4.9 billion to India. The press release based on media reports accused Nawaz of money laundering that benefited India by increasing its foreign exchange services due to which Pakistan’s national exchequer incurred losses.
The press release had cited World Bank’s (WB) Migration and Remittances Factbook 2016 as the source. However, World Bank report did not contain any such findings or alleged information.
The legal notice stated that Nawaz was never mentioned in the WB’s Migration and Remittances factbook 2016, nor was he named in any other official document.
It further said that the press release connected him with the baseless accusations of money laundering with the intention to smear him and cause political damage to him near the general elections 2018.
The legal notice demands from the NAB chief to issue a comprehensive and formal apology in two English and two Urdu dailies. It further states that the apology be broadcasted in the same manner as the accusations against him. According to the notice, Iqbal will have to pay Rs 1 billion in damages to Nawaz for defaming him publicly and for the subsequent losses.
Earlier, former PM had demanded that the NAB chief should give proof of his allegations or be held accountable.
However, in response Iqbal had remarked that probing into corruption wasn’t a crime, and the bureau will continue to do so even if it is considered a crime.
