President Arif Alvi on Wednesday promulgated the National Accountability (Amendment) Ordinance, 2021, a news outlet reported.
According to the amended ordinance, NAB Chairman Justice (R) Javed Iqbal will continue to work until a new chairman is appointed. The new chairman of the bureau will be appointed for a period of four years and his/her term may be extended.
The method to be followed for the appointment of the NAB chairman will be the one employed while granting an extension.
As per the ordinance, the president will appoint the NAB chairman in consultation with the prime minister and the opposition leader. In case of failure to reach a consensus on the appointment, the matter will be sent to a 12-member parliamentary committee formed especially for the matter of appointment. The NAB chairman can send his resignation to the president.
The president, under the amended ordinance, has the authority to establish as many accountability courts in the country, as he deems fit.
Judges of the accountability courts will be appointed for a three-year term and the NAB law will not extend to matters pertaining to federal, provincial and local taxation, and decisions pertaining to the Council of Common Interests, (CCI), National Economic Council (NEC), National Finance Commission (NFC), Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC), Central Development Working Party (CDWP) and Provincial Development Working Party (PDWP).
Earlier, Federal Law Minister Farogh Naseem announced that the new chairman of the NAB will be appointed by the president after consultation with the leaders of the House and Opposition.
Nasim, in a press conference, said that until the new chairman is appointed, Justice (R) Javed Iqbal will continue to serve as the bureau’s chief.
“Let me make it clear that he [Iqbal] will be able to exercise all the powers, functions and authorities that a normal chairman has,” he stated.
The PM, the cabinet members and the government believes that there should be a larger pool of candidates for the post of NAB chairman, Naseem revealed.