The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has approved filing of a reference against former prime minister Shaukat Aziz. According to a notification issued by the NAB, former minister for power and water Liaquat Jatoi, former federal secretary Ismail Qureshi, former additional secretary Yousaf Memon, former joint secretary Ghulam Nabi Mangrio, former section officer Umar Farooq, former chairman Alternative Energy Development Board Air Marshal (r) Shahid Hamid, former secretary AEDB Brig. Dr Nasim A Khan and former DG AEDB Dr Basharat Hasan Bashir over illegal appointment of Basharat Hasan Bashir as consultant in MP-II scale. According to the reference, the accused persons illegally appointed Basharat Hasan Bashir as consultant in MP-II scale without following prescribed procedures and rules and without consulting proper channels in violation of the rules of business. Moreover, the appointment was made retrospectively wef 01-06-2006 in violation of MP scale policy guidelines and AEDB’s own service regulations without open competition. Published in Daily Times, July 31st 2018.