PM, Opposition leader launch consultation for new NAB chief

The opposition leader in the lower house of the Parliament has hinted that the government would appoint new head of the National Accountability Bureau before June 2, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

Sources have informed on Friday that consultations regarding appointment of new chief of the anti-graft watchdog have been started between the Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Raja Riaz and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. 

Sources are of the view that the government has been advised to select some retired bureaucrat as NAB chief instead of some retired judge. 

Initially, three names were discussed for holding the office of the NAB chief. 

Both the prime minister and the opposition leader agreed to seek approval from their respective parties on the suggested names. 

Opposition leader Raja Riaz predicted that the new NAB Czar would be appointed before June 2. However, no name has been finalized yet, he added. 

Current NAB Chief Justice (r) Javed Iqbal who got retired last year and was reappointed through presidential ordinance has been known to vigorously pursuing cases against the previous government’s political opponents. He became chairman of the bureau in Oct 2017. 

The NAB law states: “There shall be a Chairman NAB to be appointed by the president in consultation with the [Leader of the House and the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly] for a [non-extendable] period of [four] years on such terms and conditions as may be determined by the president and shall not be removed except on the grounds of removal of judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan.”

In the absence of real opposition in the National Assembly after en masse resignations by the PTI MNAs on the eve of the no-trust motion against Imran Khan, the assembly chose PTI dissident MNA Raja Riaz as new opposition leader in the house who would lead an almost timid opposition not willing to throw any challenge to the government.

Reporter Usman Khan