He said that no person or institution has any right to engage in character assassination of any other person or institution, but unfortunately in Pakistan it has become a fashion to level false allegations against opponents. He said the performance of NAB to eliminate the menace of corruption and punish corrupt elements in the country is not satisfactory.
He said that former dictator Pervaiz Musharraf had framed many cases against political leaders after toppling a democratically-elected government in 1999. Rashid said that during Musharraf's era NAB registered several cases against Pakistan Muslims League- Nawaz (PML-N) leaders but the dictator could not prove any allegation against any leader of PML-N, including Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif. Rashid said that the people voted in favour of the PML-N in general elections even after registration of these cases.
He stressed upon the need for punishing the officials who failed in proving allegations within stipulated time frame. The federal minister said the bureau accused public representatives of embezzlement in development work carried out in 1999 but it could not prove these allegations even in fifteen years, adding that these allegations should be taken back.
While replying to a question, he said that Pakistan is playing reconciliatory role for a durable peace in Afghanistan, adding that the role has been appreciated by the world as well as Afghanistan. He said peace in Afghanistan will help respectable repatriation of Afghan refugees to their country.