PM Imran Khan-led huddle discusses Chairman NAB's extension: sources

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan Tuesday chaired a meeting to mull over a proposal regarding extension in the tenure of the incumbent National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal, ARY NEWS reported.

According to sources privy to the details of a meeting chaired by Imran Khan, the discussion on extension and fresh appointment of chairman NAB remained futile and today’s session ended without any decision.

“It was decided that another meeting will be called in the next couple of days to discuss the matter again,” they said while detailing that Law Minister Farogh Naseem, Attorney General Khalid Jawed Khan, Adviser on Accountability Shahzad Akbar, and others attended the meeting.

They further shared that matters related to chairman NAB’s appointment and other changes in the NAB law were discussed during the meeting.

“Matters related to consultation with the opposition over chairman NAB’s appointment was also carried out and there was a divided opinion on the matter during the meeting,” the sources having knowledge of the discussion during the meeting said.

On Saturday, Law Minister Farogh Naseem dismissed reports that his ministry has drafted an ordinance to extend the incumbent NAB chief’s tenure.

Talking to journalists, the law minister Farogh Naseem said the issue of the possible extension of the incumbent NAB chairman’s tenure has come up in meetings with Prime Minister Imran Khan four to five times.

The situation will become clear next week, he hoped and adding it is the prime minister’s prerogative to pick a person for the post of the head of the corruption watchdog and that he could only give his advice on the issue.

Farogh Naseem said the prime minister would consider more than one name for the post and will pick whoever he thinks is fit for the slot.