Deputy chairman NAB’s appointment challenged in SC

Javed Zia will retire on April 30 after the end of his three-year term.

ISLAMABAD:

The Supreme Court on Thursday issued notices to the President of Pakistan and the Law Minister on a writ petition filed for the disqualification of Deputy Chairman National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Javed Zia Qazi.

Counsel for Al-jihad Trust, Wahabul Khairi has petitioned the apex court for the disqualification of the Deputy Chairman NAB as his appointment is illegal and without justification. He submitted that the institution of NAB has been abolished since it is currently without a chairman, while the deputy chairman will retire on April 30 after the end of his three-year term.

He submitted that in spite of the Supreme Court’s directions, the government is using NAB to protect corrupt politicians and bureaucrats, before a three-member bench headed by Justice Javed Iqbal, comprising Justice Asif Khosa and Justice Amir Hani Muslim. He stated that Justice (Retd) Deedar Hussain Shah immediately delegated all his powers to Qazi, after taking charge as the chairman. But no notification has ever been issued in this regard. He requested that the deputy chairman be suspended from service till the final decision of the court.

Khairi also stated that consultation with the chief justice was a pre-requisite for the appointment of Chairman NAB before the 18th amendment. He requested the court to instruct the government to make amendments for the inclusion of the chief justice in the consultation process for his appointment. Justice Iqbal observed that the government is bound to consult with the chief justice for the NAB chairman’s appointment according to the Asfandyar Wali case.

The court accepted the petition for regular hearing and issued notices to all the respondents.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 8^th, 2011.