NAB ordinance to be issued tomorrow, says AG Khalid Jawed

ISLAMABAD: Attorney General Khalid Jawed Khan Tuesday said that the National Accountability Bureau (amendment) ordinance would be issued on Wednesday, ARY NEWS reported.

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.

“This is the same procedure that is being used for the removal of the auditor general, judicial officers, judges, election commission members, and the chief election commissioner,” he said.

Khalid Jawed further as per the new law, the accountability court would have the authority to approve bail plea of the suspect.

He further said that a consultation would be made with the opposition leader over the appointment and extension of the NAB chairman. “The incumbent chairman will continue to work until a consensus is reached on the appointment or extension,” the AG said.

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

A committee formed to mull over the amendment in the NAB ordinance met on Monday with Law Minister Farogh Naseem, Adviser on Parliamentary Affairs Babar Awan, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry and Adviser on Accountability Shahzad Akbar in attendance.

The cabinet members mulled over the amendment in the NAB ordinance and prepared a draft of recommendations to be presented before the prime minister on Tuesday.

The sources having knowledge of the consultation process on the matter said the next 24 hours are important regarding the appointment of the chairman NAB. “The prime minister will decide on the matter tomorrow,” they said.