Javed Iqbal’s tenure as NAB chairman comes to an end

Justice (retd) Baqar is likely to replace Iqbal, but govt appears divided over his eligibility

ISLAMABAD:

The controversial tenure of Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal as the chairman of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has ended.

Iqbal was appointed as the NAB chairman for four years during the tenure of the previous PML-N government. In October last year, his tenure was extended for six months by the PTI-led government.

During the previous regime, Iqbal was criticised on account of misusing his power of arrest. Instead of ensuring conviction, he only focused on putting most of the opposition leaders behind bars. Even Iqbal issued arrest warrants for two women politicians – Maryam Nawaz and Faryal Talpur.

Likewise, several senior politicians – incumbent Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, former president Asif Ali Zardari, now Punjab Chief Minister Hamza Shehbaz, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Khawaja Asif, Ahsan Iqbal, Miftah Ismail, Khursheed Shah etc were arrested. They are out on bail after several months of imprisonment.

During Iqbal's tenure, not only politicians were sent behind bar but also a large number of civil servants and businessmen were harassed, which severely affected the national economy.

There was a perception of nexus between NAB and the PTI regime against the opposition leaders. former PM’s adviser Mirza Shahzad Akbar was supervising the accountability affairs.

However, a PTI lawyer believes that Iqbal was working under the influence of establishment rather than the former PM.

Senior lawyers also expressed disappointment over the superior courts for not granting relief to the persons accused of corruption by NAB forthwith.

Interestingly, the apex court did not summon him in any case.

The court in several cases expressed serious concern over the delay in conclusion of trial in corruption cases.

Iqbal’s tenure was further controversial when his videos regarding immortal activities went viral on social media.

A senior lawyer termed NAB Chairman Iqbal’s tenure as a “complete failure”.

"He failed to act objectively and helped the powers that be push political agendas, stifle opposition and incarcerate political opponents all in the name of faux accountability," he added.

Former Sindh High Court Bar Association president Salahuddin Ahmed said that it was a tenure marked with exaggerated self-praise coupled with naked political partisanship and victimisation of opposition politicians as noted by the Supreme Court itself in Khawaja Salman Rafique’s case.

"Perhaps this partisanship was due to the compromising position of Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal himself who had been recorded engaging in sexual frolic with the wife of an accused person. Unfortunately, despite this apparent misconduct and conflict of interest; neither the government nor any court nor the Supreme Judicial Council nor even the opposition bothered to take any step to investigate the matter or cause his removal."

Read Govt functionaries divided over NAB’s future

Ahmed said that one hopes NAB’s reputation can be restored under a new chairman so that it can effectively prosecute corruption rather than merely being a tool for pressuring politicians or bringing a change in their loyalties.

Meanwhile, the government has started consultation regarding the appointment of a new NAB chairman.

It is learnt that though the name of Justice (retd) Maqbool Baqar is on the top for this slot but the government’s legal minds are divided over his eligibility. One government functionary believes that there is a two-year bar on the retiring SC judge to get public office. Justice Baqar was retired on April 4.

On the other hand, a senior lawyer told the government that there is no bar on the appointment of a retiring judge as NAB chairman as it’s a quasi-judicial office.

Several lawyers, who are great supporters of Justice Baqar, believe that he should not accept the offer of becoming the NAB chairman. They expressed apprehensions that his appointment would be challenged in the apex court.