Law minister rejects reports about ordinance on extension of NAB chief

• Farogh Naseem clarifies his ministry has not drafted an ordinance to extend tenure of Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal as NAB chief.
• Issue of possible extension of NAB chairman’s tenure has come up in meetings with PM four to five times, he adds.
• "The situation will become clear next week," he hopes.

ISLAMABAD: Rejecting media reports, Federal Law Minister Farogh Naseem Friday clarified that his ministry had not drafted an ordinance to extend the tenure of Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal as the NAB chief.

Talking to media persons, the law minister said the issue of the possible extension of the incumbent NAB chairman’s tenure has come up in meetings with Prime Minister Imran Khan four to five times according to local media.

The situation will become clear next week, he hoped, adding that it was the prime minister’s prerogative to pick a person for the post of the head of the anti-corruption watchdog and that he could only give his advice on the issue.

Naseem said the prime minister will consider more than one name for the post and will pick whoever he deems fit for the slot.

'Consultation with opposition leader virtually impossible'

Earlier, State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Farrukh Habib said in a conversation with host Shahzad Iqbal in the programme 'Naya Pakistan' that Shehbaz Sharif should step down voluntarily as the opposition leader to make the constitutional need for consultation with the opposition leader possible, which is virtually impossible, until Shehbaz Sharif continues to hold the office.

He said Shehbaz is facing cases of corruption, assets beyond means and unlawfully exercising his powers as chief minister of Punjab. He should show grace and quit the seat of the opposition leader for anyone of his companions, he said, terming it the only possible way of meeting the need for consultation with the opposition leader to appoint the NAB chairman. 

Habib said that by doing so, Shehbaz would earn respect from all corners and will create an example for others.

Responding to this offer made by the state minister, PML-N stalwart and former speaker of the National Assembly Ayaz Sadiq termed it next to impossible. 

He said Shehbaz Sharif, as the leader of the opposition, enjoys the confidence of all small and major parties sitting on opposition benches in the house. "No one can replace Shehbaz Sharif as leader of the opposition," Sadiq stated. 

He said the government is doing all this to get into a comfortable position in the near future. 

Former Senate chairman and general secretary of PPP, Nayyer Bukhari, also participated in the discussion. He said any attempt to avoid constitutionally mandatory consultation with the opposition leader would be foiled. He said rules do not allow extension in the term of service of the NAB chairman. If they do it by an ordinance, the PPP will not allow it, he said.