NAB chief extension NRO to mafias: Marriyum

Says extension of incumbent anti-corruption watchdog’s head without consultations would be illegal, unconstitutional

LAHORE:

PML-N Information Secretary Marriyum Aurangzeb on Tuesday lashed out at Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry after he advised the opposition to change their leader – Shehbaz Sharif – so that the government could hold talks on the appointment of the NAB chief.

“He [Fawad] should keep his advice to himself as it was already clearly enshrined in the constitution that consultation with the opposition leader was a mandatory procedure,” Marriyum said, hitting back at the information minister who once again ruled out the possibility of consultation with Shehbaz Sharif on the matter.

Fawad announced that the government would be introducing an ordinance for the appointment of the anti-graft body chief to fill the "lacuna" in the law that made it mandatory to consult the leader of the opposition on the matter.

Reacting to the announcement, Marriyum said: “Under the guise of extension, Imran Khan is granting NRO to mafias and thieves of flour, sugar and electricity. The extension is a tactic to give protection to mafias.”

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“The extension to the NAB chairman is a clear violation of the constitution without meaningful consultation with opposition leader Shehbaz Sharif because it is a constitutional requirement. Without consulting Shehbaz, the appointment of NAB chairman would be unconstitutional and illegal”, she said.

Addressing a press conference earlier on Tuesday following a meeting of the federal cabinet, Fawad said, "I still think that the opposition should change their leader so that we can hold talks on the matter” and added that the government was firm on its stance that Shehbaz would not be consulted since he had been accused in NAB cases.

"We are clear that we will not consult him on the NAB chairperson's appointment and tomorrow, we will introduce an ordinance that will remove this lacuna [of the government being bound to consult the opposition leader]."