The cabinet division has started circulating the ordinance seeking amendments in the National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) laws amongst the cabinet members, sources told Bol News on Wednesday.
Officials, privy to the matter, said that the cabinet members would approve the ordinance by today. Once the approval has been given, the ordinance will be sent to President Arif Alvi for his approval, they added.
According to the sources, the ordinance will allow the incumbent NAB Chairman retired Justice Javed Iqbal to remain in place till a new chief of the anti-corruption watchdog is appointed.
“If there is no agreement between the prime minister and opposition leader on a new name, then it would be forwarded to a parliamentary committee,” shared the sources about what the ordnance entails.
The ordinance also proposes that anyone seeking to remove the NAB chairman will have to approach the Supreme Judicial Council.
PM agrees to consult opposition leader on new NAB chief
A day earlier, it was reported that PM Imran Khan had agreed to give an extension to the incumbent NAB chief Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal till the appointment of his successor.
In a major policy shift by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI’s) federal government, the PM also agreed to consult with the Opposition Leader in the National Assembly (NA) Shehbaz Sharif for the appointment of the new NAB chief.
Federal Law Minister Farogh Naseem, after attending a high-powered committee meeting chaired by PM Imran Khan regarding the appointment and proposed extension of the incumbent head of NAB, disclosed that the premier had agreed to consult the opposition leader over the matter.