ISLAMABAD: The government has decided in principle to award an extension to National Accountability Bureau chief retired Justice Javed Iqbal reported Tuesday, citing people familiar with the development.
A draft ordinance has also been prepared by the legal wing of the government, it said.
Under the proposed ordinance, Iqbal will continue to work as the agency’s chief until the appointment of a new chairman. Per Article 6 of NAB Ordinance, 1999, the tenure of the NAB chairman cannot be extended.
Prime Minister Imran Khan is expected to chair a meeting later today wherein a final approval will be given to the proposal drafted in consultation with the cabinet.
Law Minister Farogh Nasim, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Parliamentary Affairs Babar Awan, and Adviser on Interior and Accountability Mirza Shahzad Akbar suggested changes in the law.
Last week, the law ministry had advised Khan to accord extension to Iqbal through a presidential ordinance until the appointment of a new chief.
Earlier, Nasim had said that no draft ordinance has been prepared to extend the tenure of Iqbal. He had said that the issue of extending the tenure of the NAB chairman has been discussed with the prime minister many times and a decision would be made soon.
He had also said that the choice of the name of the NAB chairman is at the discretion of the prime minister and “I can only advise the prime minister on this whole issue”.
“The prime minister will consider more than one name for the post of NAB chairman,” the law minister had said.
Sources in the law ministry said that there is a strong possibility of keeping the opposition leader out of the consultation for the appointment of the NAB chairman. “Since the opposition leader himself is prime accused in many NAB cases, no consultation could be made with him for appointment of NAB chairman as it would be a conflict of interest,” the sources said.
