Former Justice Javed Iqbal has been appointed as Chairman of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for four years and the federal government issued a notification in this connection on Sunday. The appointment has been made in consensus of the federal government and the Leader of Opposition in National Assembly Syed Khursheed Shah. The incumbent chairman NAB, Qamar Zaman Chaudhry, is retiring on October 10 after the completion of his four-year tenure.

For the NAB chairman slot, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader had proposed former Justice Faqer Mohammad Khokhar, former Justice Iqbal and former secretary of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Ishtiaque Ahmed Khan whereas the government had suggested former Justice Rehmat Jafry, former Justice Chaudhry Aijaz and Intelligence Bureau Director-General Aftab Sultan.

Former Justice Javed Iqbal was appointed as a Supreme Court justice in 2000 and retired in 2011. He headed the Abbottabad Inquiry Commission, formed to probe the controversial raid by US Special Forces which led to the killing of al Qaida chief Osama bin Laden. Earlier, Leader of the Opposition Khursheed Shah said that former Justice Javed Iqbal has been finalised as the new chairman of the accountability institution.

The leader of the opposition was addressing a press conference where he spoke regarding the selection. Shah said that four meetings have been held to decide upon the name with the members of the opposition and government. Khursheed Shah said that being a former apex court judge, Iqbal possesses valuable judgement skills, especially lauding his report on the Abbottabad commission.

Copyright Independent News Pakistan, 2017