Justice Javed Iqbal assumes charge as NAB chief

ISLAMABAD: Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal – a former judge of the Supreme Court –  on Wednesday assumed charge as the chairman of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

After assuming charge as chief of National anti-graft body, he was briefed about key investigations by NAB director general operations and other officials.

Later, he reached the Parliament House to attend a meeting of Senate Standing Committee for Human Rights.

In a brief interaction with media outside Parliament House, Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal affirmed to carry on investigation into corruption cases without any unnecessary delay. “All cases will be wrapped up timely,” he remarked.

The change in top slot of the anti-corruption watchdog would not hinder ongoing progress in the graft cases, he asserted. “All cases will be concluded like the Abbottabad Commission inquiry,” he added.

It is apropos to mention here that the Abbottabad Commission, led by Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal, was a judicial inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the death of the founder of Al Qaeda – Osama bin Laden – in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Abbottabad city. However, the inquiry report’s findings were not made public.

The new NAB chief further said that he would continue heading Missing Persons’ Commission as its final report is in the last phase.

The NAB chief’s role will be crucial as the anti-graft watchdog has been engaged in corruption cases against former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his family members.

Justice Javed Iqbal was appointed after Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Leader of Opposition in National Assembely Syed Khursheed Shah reached to consensus over his name to head the anti-graft body.

He has replaced Chaudhry Qamar-uz-Zaman whose term expired on October 10.

Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal was among the three names recommended by the opposition leader for the post. Two others recommended for the slot were Justice (retd) Faqeer Muhammad Khokhar and former secretary election commission Ishtiaq Ahmed.

Whereas, Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi had suggested the names of incumbent Intelligence Bureau chief Aftab Sultan, Justice (retd) Rehmat Jaffery, and Justice (retd) Ejaz Chaudhry for the post.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had rejected the six names proposed by the prime minister and the opposition leader. However, vice chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that they didn’t object over Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal but rather his performance will be judged.

Justice Javed Iqbal was retired in 2011 as senior judge of the Supreme Court. Previously he remained Chief Justice of the Balochistan High Court for a brief tenure lasting only one month.

During his career he heard several high profile cases, including the case of suspension of Supreme Court chief justice Iftikhar Chaudhry. He was also appointed to lead the Abbottabad Commission over the United States strike, which killed Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden in 2011.