Daily Times

The federal government has appointed Lieutenant General (retd) Nazir Ahmad as the National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) chairman for a three-year term. In a notification, the Ministry of Law and Justice said that the appointment had been made by the federal government after a consensus between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Raja Riaz.

The NAB chairman, according to the law ministry, shall hold office for a “non-extendable term of three years” and will not be eligible for subsequent appointment.

“…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 notification stated that the appointment was made in terms of Section 6 of the National Accountability Ordinance, 1999, as amended from time to time.

The federal cabinet’s approval for the appointment of new NAB chief was solicited through a circulation summary. The federal government’s decision has come after PM Shehbaz Sharif finalised the name of the new NAB chairman with Raja Riaz when the latter called on him in Lahore on Saturday evening. The post fell vacant after ex-NAB chief Aftab Sultan walked out of the powerful office last month. Sultan’s resignation as NAB chief was accepted days after speculation began that he wanted to quit due to the pressure on him to take actions that he found “unacceptable”. Sultan cited “interference” and “pressure” as the reasons for his departure, but did not elaborate who was pressuring him. One sign that he was being pressurised but didn’t succumbed to it emerged hours after his resignation as former premier Imran Khan and his wife were told to appear before NAB in the Toshakhana case.

The prime minister’s meeting with Riaz, a disgruntled leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), has come against the backdrop of PTI’s demand that a new leader of the opposition in the lower house of parliament from his party should be notified before the selection of new NAB chief. According to media reports, Lt Gen (retd) Nazir Ahmad Butt is from the 67th PMA Long Course and has served as the Peshawar Corps Commander as well as performed important services in the war against terrorism while also holding important responsibilities at the GHQ. Prior to his assignment at the 11 Corps Command, the reports add, he was President National Defence University Islamabad. Gen Butt had also commanded a division in South Waziristan as Major General. Known as a professional and upright officer, he served as military secretary to three prime ministers including, Shaukat Aziz and Muhammad Mian Soomro. He also served as Defense Attaché in Washington. He also remained Commandant Pakistan Military Academy (PMA) Kakul. Gen (retd) Butt is the son of a colonel while his brother is also a retired colonel from the army.