LAHORE: "We believe in the reverence of constitutional bodies, as no one is above the law in the new Pakistan," the Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar, said, after his appearance before the NAB in his personal capacity.

In a statement issued here on Wednesday, the CM said: "I went to the NAB office in a vehicle without protocol; I presented my point of view before NAB and apprised them about facts in the matter of the issuance of the license. I presented facts before the NAB to remove any ambiguity in the matter of license."

The CM asserted that with the grace of Almighty Allah, his hands are clean and he will present his point of view whenever subpoenaed. "I have set a tradition of accepting the supremacy of the law by presenting before the NAB and I have also presented my point of view before the special commission and the court," he added. The CM regretted that hooliganism and lawlessness were demonstrated before NAB office yesterday. The nation has witnessed pandemonium yesterday and a demonstration of believing in law today. The violators of law have exposed themselves; he said and added that the following law is the duty of every citizen. The affairs of the government are being run in accordance with the rules and regulations in Punjab, he added.

On the other hand, Governor Punjab Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar said that NAB's summon to Usman Buzdar is no valid reason for dismissing him from his position, Usman Buzdar is the CM and he will stay so.

Talking to media, here at the Governor House, Sarwar said: "It is policy of the PTI government that there will be no compromise on accountability and transparency. We support transparent accountability and we are eliminating political interference from institutions."

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020