Anti-graft body to probe opposition leaders after alliance formed to oust Imran Khan

ISLAMABAD

: Pakistan's anti-corruption body on Tuesday issued a notice to Opposition leader and Jamiat Ulema e-Islam's Fazl (JUI-F) chief

Fazlur Rehman

, asking him to appear before its investigation team in October.



According to Dawn, the notice against Rehman and others pertains to "corruption and corrupt practices/accumulation of assets beyond means", which was issued by the country's National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

The notice directed the JUI-F chief to appear before NAB on October 1 and to "record your statement/plea in the subject inquiry".

This development follows major Opposition parties in Pakistan formed an alliance -- Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) -- demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Imran Khan and the sacking of his top aide Lt Gen (Retd) Asim Saleem Bajwa over allegations of corruption.

They have announced a three-phased movement against the Pakistan government under an "action plan" starting from October.

The Opposition plans to organise nationwide protests in December and a "decisive long march" towards Islamabad in January 2021.

On Sunday, Jamiat Ulema-e Islam (F) Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, during a press conference had unveiled the plan, saying that they would "no more cooperate" with the Imran Khan government in Parliament.

"This meeting has declared that the present selected government has been provided strength by the establishment, which had imposed it on the people through rigging in the elections. The meeting has expressed grave concerns over the increasing role of the establishment in politics and considered it a threat to the country's national security and institutions," Maulana Fazl was quoted as saying by Dawn.