NAB Chairman Lt. Gen (retired) Nazir Ahmed gets three years extension

ISLAMABAD: The federal government has extended the tenure of Nazir Ahmed, a retired lieutenant general, as chairman of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for three years, ARY News reported on Friday.

Nazir Ahmed became the NAB chairman on March 4, 2023, after his predecessor Aftab Sultan resigned.

According to an official notification, the extension in NAB chairman’s term will take effect from 6 March 2026.

The development comes after President Asif Ali Zardari gave his assent on Thursday to the NAB (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which allows for an extension in the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chairperson’s term by another three years.

President Asif Ali Zardari has given assent to several bills passed by Parliament and approved related summaries. These include the Virtual Assets Bill 2026, NAB (Amendment) Bill 2026, Privatisation Commission (Amendment) Bill 2026 and other measures concerning the judiciary.

— The President of Pakistan (@PresOfPakistan) March 5, 2026

The president’s approval came hours after the bill was rushed through both Houses of Parliament amid the opposition’s outcry and a day before the term of incumbent National Accountability Bureau Chairman Lt General (retired) Nazir Ahmed was set to expire.

Previously, a NAB chairman served a non‑extendable term of three years and was not eligible for reappointment under the National Accountability Bureau Ordinance. An amendment to its Section 6 now allows the chairman to serve a three‑year term that can be extended once for a period of three years by the federal government.