The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has been requested by an accountability court to provide a response regarding an application submitted by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif. This application seeks his acquittal in a reference pertaining to Toshakhana vehicles. The court has sought a reply from NAB on Tuesday.
Judge Nasir Javed Rana of the accountability court has requested the prosecution of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to submit their response by May 23. The judge was presiding over the case involving President Asif Ali Zardari and the supreme leader of the ruling PML-N, Nawaz Sharif. They are accused of acquiring luxury vehicles from Toshakhana by only paying 15% of their actual prices. NAB has alleged that former Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani, who is now the incumbent chairman of the Senate, facilitated the allotment of these vehicles through dishonest and illegal means.
According to a report submitted by NAB to the court last month, Mr. Sharif has been virtually cleared in the Toshakhana vehicle reference. The prosecution argued in the report that the vehicle in question was a gift from the government of Saudi Arabia to then-Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, which was subsequently deposited in the Toshakhana. The report also stated that the car sold to Mr. Sharif was part of the federal transport pool, and not the Toshakhana. In 2008, then-Prime Minister Gilani had offered Mr. Sharif to purchase the car, which he did from the federal transport pool, as per the NAB report.
According to the statement, this particular case may involve other offenses, but it is not related to the Toshakhana’s benefits. The vehicle in question was not originally part of the Toshakhana, but rather belonged to the federal transport pool.
