Illegal appointment?: NAB Punjab chief serves without PM’s approval

Khursheed Anwar Bhinder has been in office without the competent authority’s nod

LAHORE: Despite passage of more than a year, Khursheed Anwar Bhinder has been serving as Director General (DG) National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Punjab without the prime minister’s approval, sources familiar with the matter told The Express Tribune.

Bhinder has been deciding the fate of mega corruption cases and presiding over meetings of the executive board, without the prime minister’s nod to his appointment, sources revealed.

Chairman NAB Admiral (Retd) Fasih Bokhari appointed Bhinder as DG (BPS-21) NAB Punjab on October 22, 2011 on a contractual basis.

The post had not been advertised and the candidate was deemed ineligible as per Terms and Conditions of Services (TCS) Rules-2002 of NAB as well as the rules and regulations of the federal government.

According to sources, chairman NAB forwarded a summary to the prime minister on October 21, 2011 requesting a relaxation of rules for DG NAB Punjab’s post. However, within a day the corruption watchdog’s headquarters issued a notification regarding Bhinder’s appointment, without waiting for the premier’s reply.

Sources say that Bhinder has been presiding over meetings of the executive board in which key decisions regarding corruption cases and their authorisation of inquiries into investigations and closure takes place.

NAB’s version

While talking to The Express Tribune Personal Relations Officer (PRO) NAB Hafiz Muhammad Irfan confirmed that Bhinder’s contract had expired, however, it was terminated unexpectedly not giving NAB time to find a replacement.

Since a replacement for DG NAB Punjab is currently unavailable as the bureau is severely understaffed, NAB headquarters have requested the prime minister to allow Bhinder to continue as DG NAB Punjab, till the appointment of a new DG.

The summary has been forwarded to the prime minister through the ministry of law and justice and secretary, establishment division.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 19^th, 2012.