ISLAMABAD: Adviser to Prime Minister on Accountability Shahzad Akbar has shared copies of judgements against Pakistan in the Broadsheet case, saying that this was being done on orders of Prime Minister Imran Khan.
“We are making, all relevant documents and judgements in the Broadsheet case, available in the public domain in line with its consistent and a principled stance that transparency is paramount for the process of accountability,” he said while addressing a press conference.
The PM’s advisor claimed that the PTI-led federal government represents the nation and came on this mandate of accountability. “It is the prime minister’s stance that for transparency, everything which should be in public access,” he added.
He further said that two judgements were being made public, the judgement for the liability award in 2016 and the judgement for the quantum award in 2018. “The first confirmed the government of Pakistan was liable to pay Broadsheet and the second determined the actual amount of the liability to be paid,” he informed.
Akbar elaborated on the details of the quantum award, explaining why the government had to pay $21.5 million to Broadsheet. “The amount represented the cost of past NROs [National Reconciliation Ordinance] and deals the people of Pakistan have had to bear,” he remarked.
He said out of the $21.5m paid to broadsheet, $20.5m was paid because of the Sharif family – of this $1.5m was paid against the Avenfield apartments and $19m against assets of Nawaz Sharif.
“On the prime minister’s instructions, the government had contacted Broadsheet’s lawyers to gain their written consent on making these documents public,” he said, adding that they had no reservations over the move.
