Govt wants to involve CJP in chairman NAB’s appointment

ISLAMABAD: A high-level government legal committee has almost firmed up its proposals on amendments to the present NAB law with emphasis on placing the NAB under an autonomous commission, creating an independent investigation wing and getting the chief justice of Pakistan involved in the appointment of chairman NAB.
Government sources said the draft changes suggest that the chairman NAB should be appointed by the prime minister in consultation with the leader of opposition and chief justice of Pakistan.
Presently, the PM and leader of the opposition are entitled to appoint through consensus their choice person as chairman NAB. This system of appointment has been politically contested in the recent years by the PTI, which in the case of the present chairman NAB alleged that it was a case of Muk Muka (compromise) between the ruling PML-N and PPP, which is leading the opposition in the National Assembly.
It has also been suggested that like anindependent prosecution wing, the NAB should have an independent investigation wing. With this change, a case referred to the investigation wing will be independently evaluated whether or not it has enough material to refer the case for prosecution to the prosecution branch.
To help the NAB maintain its independence and work without any external pressures, according to the draft changes, the NAB would be placed under a commission comprising members enjoying the trust of all. The NAB chairman will also be a member of the commission.
Instead of limiting the position of chairman NAB for retired judges, generals and secretaries; the post could be offered to anyone considered fit by the PM, the leader of the opposition and chief justice of Pakistan.
At present, the ordinary appointments in the NAB are out of the purview of FPSC. It is suggested that the appointments in the NAB should be made through the Federal Public Service Commission.
Some changes are also being recommended in the law to check long delays in inquiries and investigations, which are used to blackmail and vilify persons against whom complaints are received. The legal committee, led by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and comprising former law minister Zahid Hamid, Khawaja Zaheer, Ashtar Ausaf, Salman Aslam Butt, Anusha Rehman and Barrister Zafarullah Khan, will soon finalise these changes and present them to the government for further action.
The committee was constituted recently by the prime minister to make the accountability apparatus work without any external pressure or influence. The PM, it is claimed, wanted an accountability commission which should enjoy the trust of all and is not used by anyone for victimisation of others.