NAB chief: Opposition leader invited to PM House for final consultations

Shah to meet prime minister, Ishaq Dar at the prime minister house on October 3 to finalise the appointment.

ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Ishaq Dar has invited the National Assembly Opposition leader Khursheed Shah to the Prime Minister House for a final round of talks on the appointment of a new chairman for the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

Shah confirmed that he had held a telephonic conversation with Dar to discuss the issue on Saturday, and the two decided to meet on October 3 for deliberating over potential candidates for the slot.

Shah told The Express Tribune that he had been extended an invitation for discussing the appointment of the NAB chairman with the Prime Minister and Ishaq Dar on October 3.

Sources within the PM’s office said that Dar had "assured Shah on behalf of the prime minister that a final round of consultation will be held next time and a name will be definitely chosen up to fill the important post.”

Shah said that so far, consultations on the issue have ended indecisively. He added that the prime minister had proposed the name of Justice (retd) Chaudhry Ejaz Ahmed for the post and he, on behalf of the opposition suggested names of Justice Sardar Raza and Justice (retd) Mian Muhammad Ajmal.

The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader added that the prime minister had not objected on the name of Ajmal Mian.

Shah said he had no objections on the nomination of Ejaz Chaudhry but that deliberations were nevertheless required to create consensus and appoint an uncontroversial figure for this crucial post. The decision should not be hurried.

The opposition's chief whip, Shah further remarked that the chairman of NAB ought to be an impartial person who monitors corruption meticulously.

Changes in NAB law

Shah told The Express Tribune that the laws of NAB would also be amended once the matter of the appointment resolved.

The key post has been lying vacant since May 28 this year after Supreme Court ordered the removal of the previous chairman, Admiral (retired) Fasih Bokhari.

Absence of a chief has hindered the national anti-graft watchdog from functioning smoothly, with the bureau unable to file any fresh reference or go for appeals without signatures by the chairman and the prosecutor general.

The government had earlier proposed the names of retired Justice Rehmat Hussain Jaffery and former federal secretary Khwaja Zaheer Ahmed.

The opposition responded with the names of retired Justice (retired) Bhagwandas and Justice (retired) Sardar Raza.