Justice (r) Javed Iqbal appointed as new NAB chairman

ISLAMABAD: Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal, a former judge of the Supreme Court, has been appointed as the next chairman of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB). 

A notification in this regard was issued by the Ministry of Law and Power over his appointment under the National Accountability Ordinance 1999 for a period non-extendable period of four years from the date he assumes office.

The appointment was made after mutual consensus of Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Leader of Opposition in National Assembely Syed Khursheed Shah. He will replace incumbent chairman Chaudhry Qammar-uz-Zaman whose term expires on October 10.

Earlier Khursheed Shah said that consensus has been formed with the government over the name for new chairman and both have agreed on the appointment of Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal as the new NAB chief after extensive discussions.

The appointment of the national anti-graft watchdog’s head is critical due to cases it has been dealing with these days, particularly the graft references against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his family members.

Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal was among the three names recommend by the opposition leader for the post. Two others recommended for the slot were Justice (retd) Faqeer Muhammad Khokhar and former secretary election commission Ishtiaq Ahmed.

Whereas, Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi had suggested the names of incumbent Intelligence Bureau chief Aftab Sultan, Justice (retd) Rehmat Jaffery, and Justice (retd) Ejaz Chaudhry for the post.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had rejected the six names proposed by the prime minister and the opposition leader. However, vice chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that they do not have objection to the personality of Justice (r) Javed Iqbal but rather his performance will be judged.

Justice Javed Iqbal retired in 2011 as senior judge of the Supreme Court. Previously he was Chief Justice of the Balochistan High Court for a short tenure lasting only a month.

During his career he has heard several high profile cases, including the case of suspension of fellow chief justice Iftikhar Chaudhry. He was also appointed to led the Abbottabad Commission over the United States strike which killed Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden in 2011.