Govt to consult Shehbaz on NAB chief's appointment: Farogh Naseem

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Law and Justice Barrister Farogh Naseem on Tuesday said that the federal government has decided to consult Leader of the Opposition Shahbaz Sharif on the nomination of the next National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chairman, ARY News reported on Tuesday.

He made these remarks while speaking exclusively to ARY News here on Tuesday.

“Government has decided to consult with Shehbaz Sharif over next NAB chief appointment as per the law,” said Naseem, adding that no contact has been made with the opposition leader so far over the NAB chairman appointment.

Farogh further said the law ministry has finalised the draft for National Accountability Bureau (amendment) ordinance on directions of Prime Minister Imran Khan, adding that the clause of consultation with Leader of the Opposition has been included in the newly amended NAB Ordinance-1999.

“The newly amended NAB ordinance has been prepared according to law,” he said, adding that “the terms [non-extendable] has been substituted with the word [extendable] in the section mentioned to give the NAB chairman an extension”.

Naseem said that according to the newly amended NAB ordinance draft, the right to grant bails will be given to trial courts. The law minister said that if deadlock persists over the new NAB chairman appointment then the matter will go into Parliament.

“The sitting NAB chairman will continue to serve until the appointment of new anti-graft watchdog chief,” he added.

Earlier, Attorney General Khalid Jawed Khan Tuesday said that the National Accountability Bureau (amendment) ordinance would be issued on Wednesday.

While speaking to ARY News, the attorney general while elaborating the amendment said that removing a chairman would be the authority of the Supreme Judicial Council.

It is to be mentioned here that the incumbent Chairman NAB, Justice Javed Iqbal’s four-year term is completing on October 8.