Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The government has offered the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) deputy chairman’s slot to former Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) director general (DG) Tariq Khosa.

Khosa, an honest and upright officer, has flatly rejected the government’s offer and said that he is not willing to work under the inefficient NAB chairman.

Tariq Khosa was removed from the FIA DG’s slot by the previous government after he started probe against the PPP leaders on the directions of the Supreme Court.

Nasir Khosa is another brother of Tariq Khosa who had served as the Punjab chief secretary in the Shahbaz Sharif-led government. Nowadays he is working in the World Bank on the government’s recommendation.

It is the government’s prerogative to post anyone on the NAB DG’s slot. The post is vital in curbing corruption from the country but the performance of NAB’s top hierarchy is pathetic.

Seeking anonymity, a politician, said Khosa’s induction in NAB would help improve the organisation’s already tarnished image. He said further Tariq Khosa could save NAB from the ‘brinkmanship’, adding that he should not turn down the government’s offer.

Advocate Azhar Siddique termed the government’s move unethical and unconstitutional and said such effort is to influence Justice Asif Khosa who is part of the five-member bench which is hearing the Panamagate case.

He said Justice Asif Khosa is one of the best jurists whose judgements would be written with golden words in the court’s history. He said that the government could not influence the gallant judge.

He said he would file contempt of court case against the government if Tariq Khosa would be inducted as the NAB deputy chairman.

He said the rulers have already proved themselves ineligible through their unconstitutional acts.

Daily Times approached a government spokesman, but he was not available for comment.