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ISLAMABAD: After Raja Riaz, the leader of the opposition in the National Assembly, and prime minister Shehbaz Sharif agreed on the choice of the retired general, the federal government nominated him on Saturday as the next chairman of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for three years.
Following talks with the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General Syed Asim Munir, President of Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians (PPPP), Asif Ali Zardari, and Chairman of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), Maulana Fazlur Rehman, among others, the government has appointed a new accountability czar.
“…consultation between the Leader of the House being the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly has been made and there is consensus on the name of Lt Gen (retd) Nazir Ahmed, for his appointment by the Federal Government as Chairman, National Accountability Bureau (NAB),” read a notification of the Prime Minister’s Office.
The appointment was made in accordance with Section 6 of the National Accountability Ordinance, 1999, as modified, according to the notification. In a circulation summary, the federal cabinet’s consent for the appointment of the new NAB chief was requested.
The federal government’s choice was made after Raja Riaz and PM Shehbaz Sharif agreed on the name of the next NAB chairman during Raja Riaz’s Saturday evening visit to Lahore. Once Aftab Sultan, the former head of the NAB, left his influential position last month, the position became empty.
Days after rumours that Sultan planned to resign as NAB chief because of pressure to adopt “inappropriate” steps surfaced, his resignation was accepted. Sultan mentioned “intervention” and “pressure” as his reasons for leaving, although he did not say who was exerting the pressure.
The former premier Imran Khan and his wife were instructed to come before NAB in the Toshakhana issue, which was one indication that he was under pressure but didn’t give in to it. This happened hours after he announced his retirement.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has demanded that a new leader of the opposition in the lower house of parliament from his party should be notified before the selection of a new NAB chief, which is why the prime minister met with Riaz, a disgruntled PTI leader.
After a slew of PTI leaders refused to support the then-PTI government on the issue of resigning en masse from the assembly under the pretence that it was being overthrown by a “foreign conspiracy,” Riaz—who is seen as playing the role of a friendly opposition in NA—was chosen as the opposition leader.
Fawad Chaudhry, senior vice president of the PTI, rejected the appointment shortly after the federal government made its decision. He claimed that the appointment process had become contentious because the Lahore High Court had suspended the notification by which the resignations of several PTI lawmakers were accepted by the NA Speaker.
Fawad continued by stating that the PTI had already chosen Shah Mahmood Qureshi to lead the opposition and that the legality of the opposition and government’s consultation process was at issue.
The summary for the federal cabinet states that after Aftab Sultan, the former NAB chairman, accepted his retirement on February 15, 2023, the position of NAB chairman became vacant.
The federal government shall appoint the NAB’s chairman following consultation between the Leader of the House and the Opposition in the National Assembly, it was noted. Section 6(b)(i) of the NAO 1999 lays out the method for doing so.
“The Chairman shall, on such terms and conditions as may be determined by the Federal Government, hold office for a non-extendable term of three years, shall not be eligible for re-appointment as Chairman, and shall not be removed from office except upon the grounds and in the manner provided in Article 209 of the Constitution,” Section 6(b)(v) is added.
The Speaker of the House and the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly have reached agreement on the selection of Lt Gen Nazir Ahmad (a retired officer of the Pakistani Armed Forces) as chairman of the NAB, the statement said.
Despite the establishment of the graft-buster, which was established in 1999, political commentators claimed that corruption has only grown in the nation over the past 20 years, which may appear surprising.
They noted that Pakistan’s democracy remains fragile because of a lack of accountability and meaningful accountability and that it was time to implement a system of universal accountability.
New NAB chairman?
According to media reports, Lt Gen (retd) Nazir Ahmad Butt is a graduate of the 67th PMA Long Course who served as the commander of the Peshawar Corps, made significant contributions to the fight against terrorism, and held significant positions in the GHQ.
The reports also state that he served as President of the National Defence University in Islamabad before being assigned to the 11 Corps Command. Additionally, as a Major General, Gen. Butt oversaw a division in South Waziristan.
He worked as the military secretary to three prime ministers, including Shaukat Aziz and Muhammad Mian Soomro. He was regarded as a competent and honourable commander. He worked in Washington as the Defense Attaché as well. He continued to serve as Commandant of the PMA Kakul. Gen (retd) Butt is the brother of a retired army colonel and the son of a colonel.
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