Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani in an open letter to people Friday said that the current system of accountability had failed to curb corruption, and suggested to establish the ‘Federal Commission for Accountability’ to deal with such matters.

“I am using this tool of communication, which is not very common, due to the constraints of my constitutional office. This system of accountability has fallen apart, wherein any attempt to amend the existing system, in patchworks, will not work,” he penned down in the open letter.

“All anti-corruption agencies, including the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and anti-corruption establishments (ACEs) have failed to yield desired results, he said, adding that there was a strong perception that the NAB was only tightening noose around petty suspects, ignoring mega-corruption cases. “Therefore, the creation of a statutory/independent body to oversee all aspects of corruption was need of the hour.

Unveiling the roadmap for the commission, Rabbani said that with the inception of the new commission, all other parallel forums accountability should cease to exit. “Forums for disciplinary actions and other related matters for persons belonging to judiciary, armed forces and bureaucracy will remain functional; however, accountability will be the exclusive domain of the commission.”

Once formed, the commission, he said, would decide matters placed before it within 30 days. He said appointment of the NAB chairman would be discretionary power of the commission, while heads of the provincial NABs would be appointed by the NAB chief.

About composition of the commission, he said the commission would consist of a sitting Supreme Court judge to be nominated by the chief justice of Pakistan, a member from the armed forces – not below the rank of lieutenant general – to be nominated by the Joint Chief of Staff Committee chairman, a Grade-22 civil servant, a police officer and a member of civil armed forces to be nominated by the Interior Ministry.

The commission, he said, would include four members one each from bar associations, human rights activists, journalists and professionals to be nominated by the Senate chairman, NA speaker and chief justice of Pakistan. “The nominations will be ratified by the Senate, National Assembly and the Judicial Commission.”

The commission, he said, would also include four members of parliament, equally from both houses, which would be nominated by the Senate chairman and NA speaker, respectively. The members of parliament would elect the commission chairman – three-year term – which would be ratified by parliament within 45 days. “There would be a bar on the MPs and members of armed forces on becoming the chairman of the commission,” he added.