NAB Punjab chief holding post illegally

Memood illegally serving as DG FIA for more than four months.

LAHORE:

Rana Zahid Mehmood is illegally serving as the director general of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Punjab, for more than four months, according to official documents made available to The Express Tribune.

An official order shows that Mahmod’s charge as the DG NAB, Punjab, expired on October 22 last year. But despite not getting an extension, he is still holding the office of the DG NAB, Punjab without any legal cover.

According to officials familiar with the matter, Mehmood’s appointment violates the terms and conditions of services for NAB employees.

There have been allegations that Mehmood recommended the closure of some important inquiries involving billion of rupees, besides changing various officers on personal whims.

An official notification issued on April 21 last year with the approval of the prime minister and signed by Muhammad Afzal, the additional director (CP&PM) vide No.2(8)/2001-Admn-1 stated: “Consequent upon the approval of (the) prime minister, (the) chairman NAB has been pleased to appoint Rana Zahid Mahmood as (the) director-general (BPS-21), NAB Rawalpindi, on contract basis, for (a) period of one year, with immediate effect.”

According to legal experts, only a serving officer on the rank of BPS-21 should be appointed as the DG NAB, but in the said case the authorities appointed Mehmood who retired as a sessions judge at BPS-20. Later, he was sacked because he took oath under the PCO of 2007.

Experts questioned the logic of his appointment, asking how a person sacked by the apex court and retired in BPS-20 be justified for the post of the director-general of NAB (BPS-21), Rawalpindi. Subsequently, he was also given the charge of DG NAB, Punjab. The appointment, analysts, said, was in clear violation of the Supreme Court verdict which termed contract re-employment of retired government servants against the Constitution.

Despite repeated attempts, NAB officials avoided making any comment on the issue.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 14^th, 2011.