—File Photo

ISLAMABAD: Chief Minister of Sindh Murad Ali Shah on Thursday has appeared before National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Rawalpindi in fake bank accounts and solar light cases.

The chief minister turned up at the NAB Rawalpindi headquarters in response to the corruption watchdog’s subpoena. He was grilled by the combined investigation team about the programme for over an hour.

The combined investigation team of the anti-watchdog is interrogating the Sindh Chief Minister, who is accused of issuing funds for contracts despite objections.

NAB told that seven suspects in solar light case have accepted plea bargain, one accused has become approver while prime suspect is on bail.

Speaking to media after his appearance before the probe team, Murad Ali Shah said he was summoned to explain his role in the project since he was Sindh finance minister when the scheme was launched. He added he responded to the questions put to him by the investigators.

He said he has been given no questionnaire by the probe team at present but if he is given one, he will submit his response. He denied that he appeared before the bureau because of its fear saying they won’t come under pressure even if they are summoned hundred times.

CM Murad said the scheme was launched after approval of the Sindh Assembly. He revealed that he was extremely scared to come to Islamabad due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The case is part of a multi-billion fake bank account scam involving Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) co-chairman and former president Asif Ali Zardari, his sister Faryal Talpur, CM Murad Ali Shah and others.

The chief minister has already appeared before the NAB team in the same case and has been summoned for the second time. He has also been named in some other NAB cases, including Nooriabad Power Project and sugar mills subsidy cases.

Murad Ali Shah has said that Pakistan needs to have a unified stance on COVID-19.

“People are not taking it seriously and not following the SOPs because of the mixed messages they are being given,” he said. Some people take it seriously, while others say that it is just a flu, the chief minister complained, adding that it is a fatal disease.

“I know there have been many economic difficulties but you have to think about saving lives,” he said.

“I was extremely scared to come to Islamabad during the pandemic but I am here because I have been summoned,” he said. Sindh has been reporting the country’s highest number of cases recently and it is quite scary, he added.—NNI