Fawad Hasan Fawad – the Principal Secretary to former premiers Nawaz Sharif and Shahid Khaqan Abbasi – said on Saturday that he was forced to sign a document against the top PML-N cadre to be set free.
Fawad made the revelation while talking to the host of The Pakistan Experience podcast, on Saturday.
Last month, an accountability court in Lahore acquitted Fawad and others in the assets beyond means case. He was arrested by NAB in July 2018 for alleged corruption in the Ashiana Housing Scheme and three other projects. He was accused of owning illegal assets worth billions of rupees.
"I was asked to sign the document against Nawaz and Shehbaz Sharif and told that if I didn't, I would remain behind bars for the next 20 years."
The former bureaucrat said he would not name anyone because he 'didn't want to put someone in a troubling situation', but added that he was willing to explain his stance in a court of law.
According to him, he was told that if he signed it, then as a reward, his career 'will be taken to a whole new level'.
"My only crime was that I did not agree to becoming a part of the process and anyone's pawn," he said and went on to add that the jail superintendent can reveal the names of those who visited him and the things they said.
Fawad asked the judiciary to take notice of the developments, terming such steps necessary to "save Pakistan."
On Feb 14, Israr Saeed – the pardoned witness representing NAB in the Ashiana case – said that he was forced to issue his statement against PML-N president Shehbaz Sharif.
Saeed admitted to Shehbaz’ counsel Amjad Pervez in the witness-stand that he was forced and coerced into becoming a witness against the party’s chief.
He claimed that then NAB officers DG Shehzad Saleem, Director Muhammad Rafi, and case officer Aftab Ahmed were behind the forced statement.
Fawad made the revelation while talking to the host of The Pakistan Experience podcast, on Saturday.
Last month, an accountability court in Lahore acquitted Fawad and others in the assets beyond means case. He was arrested by NAB in July 2018 for alleged corruption in the Ashiana Housing Scheme and three other projects. He was accused of owning illegal assets worth billions of rupees.
"I was asked to sign the document against Nawaz and Shehbaz Sharif and told that if I didn't, I would remain behind bars for the next 20 years."
The former bureaucrat said he would not name anyone because he 'didn't want to put someone in a troubling situation', but added that he was willing to explain his stance in a court of law.
On Feb 14, Israr Saeed – the pardoned witness representing NAB in the Ashiana case – said that he was forced to issue a statement against Shehbaz Sharif. Saeed admitted to Shehbaz’ counsel Amjad Pervez in the witness-stand that he was forced and coerced into becoming a witness against the PML-N chief. He claimed that then NAB DG Shehzad Saleem, Director Muhammad Rafi, and case officer Aftab Ahmed were behind the forced statement.
According to him, he was told that if he signed it, then as a reward, his career 'will be taken to a whole new level'.
"My only crime was that I did not agree to becoming a part of the process and anyone's pawn," he said and went on to add that the jail superintendent can reveal the names of those who visited him and the things they said.
Fawad asked the judiciary to take notice of the developments, terming such steps necessary to "save Pakistan."
On Feb 14, Israr Saeed – the pardoned witness representing NAB in the Ashiana case – said that he was forced to issue his statement against PML-N president Shehbaz Sharif.
Saeed admitted to Shehbaz’ counsel Amjad Pervez in the witness-stand that he was forced and coerced into becoming a witness against the party’s chief.
He claimed that then NAB officers DG Shehzad Saleem, Director Muhammad Rafi, and case officer Aftab Ahmed were behind the forced statement.