‘Not consulted’: Opposition rejects another NAB chief
Opposition party terms nomination extra-constitutional.
ISLAMABAD:
The country’s main opposition party, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), has rejected on ‘technical grounds’ the government’s new nominee for the slot of chief of a virtually dysfunctional National Accountability Bureau (NAB).
In a letter to President Asif Ali Zardari, Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan raised the objection that he was not duly consulted before nominating Admiral (retd) Fasih Bukhari – and that the government failed to implement the Supreme Court’s verdicts. Nisar stated that the Supreme Court has defined “consultation” in its verdicts as meaningful deliberations, according to sources within the party.
(Read: In a fix - PML-N stumped by NAB chief nomination)
“Chaudhry Nisar did not object to Fasih Bukhari’s nomination but he disapproved of the president’s proposal on legal and technical grounds, claiming that the mechanism adopted in nominating the new chief was unconstitutional,” revealed a member of the PML-N asking not to be named.
Khan contended that the president’s unilateral decision was conveyed to him as information and could not be termed ‘meaningful consultation’. The opposition leader suggested that a serving or retired judge of the superior courts be appointed as NAB chairman in the two-page letter which will be released to the media on Friday (today).
The opposition leader has referred to the Supreme Court’s verdicts in the Asfandyar Wali, Harris Steel Mills, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan and Mubashar Hassan cases in support of his contention. President Zardari proposed Admiral (retd) Bukhari’s name for the post of NAB chairman on October 9 and had written letters under section 6(b) (i) to leader of the house and leader of the opposition to solicit their views.
(Read: Controversial appointment - Zardari picks retired admiral as NAB chief)
Officials at the presidency confirmed they had received the letter when contacted, but refrained from giving any comment.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 14th, 2011.
The country’s main opposition party, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), has rejected on ‘technical grounds’ the government’s new nominee for the slot of chief of a virtually dysfunctional National Accountability Bureau (NAB).
In a letter to President Asif Ali Zardari, Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan raised the objection that he was not duly consulted before nominating Admiral (retd) Fasih Bukhari – and that the government failed to implement the Supreme Court’s verdicts. Nisar stated that the Supreme Court has defined “consultation” in its verdicts as meaningful deliberations, according to sources within the party.
(Read: In a fix - PML-N stumped by NAB chief nomination)
“Chaudhry Nisar did not object to Fasih Bukhari’s nomination but he disapproved of the president’s proposal on legal and technical grounds, claiming that the mechanism adopted in nominating the new chief was unconstitutional,” revealed a member of the PML-N asking not to be named.
Khan contended that the president’s unilateral decision was conveyed to him as information and could not be termed ‘meaningful consultation’. The opposition leader suggested that a serving or retired judge of the superior courts be appointed as NAB chairman in the two-page letter which will be released to the media on Friday (today).
The opposition leader has referred to the Supreme Court’s verdicts in the Asfandyar Wali, Harris Steel Mills, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan and Mubashar Hassan cases in support of his contention. President Zardari proposed Admiral (retd) Bukhari’s name for the post of NAB chairman on October 9 and had written letters under section 6(b) (i) to leader of the house and leader of the opposition to solicit their views.
(Read: Controversial appointment - Zardari picks retired admiral as NAB chief)
Officials at the presidency confirmed they had received the letter when contacted, but refrained from giving any comment.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 14th, 2011.