ISLAMABAD: Information minister, Fawad Hussain Chaudhary, has ruled out a possibility of consultation between the government and opposition for appointment of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chairman.
NAB chairman is due to retire in October this year and as per existing law, the leader of the house (prime minister) and leader of the opposition in the national assembly are required to have consultation for creating concensus on this key appointment.
As per the constitution , in the case of failing of both , leader of the house and opposition leader in stipulated timeframe, the matter will ultimately go to the Supreme Court for its final decision.
Fawad Chaudhary, who is also an advocate himself, ruled out the possibility of any consultation between prime minister, Imran Khan, and opposition leader in the national assembly, Mian Shabaz Sharif, on the appointment of NAB chairman.
He said ” Since Mian Shahbaz Sharif is a NAB accused he can not be consulted by the prime minister for NAB chairman appointment”.
NEWSMAN approached Hussnain kazmi, a senior lawyer of the Supreme Court to get his legal opinion on the issue. He categorically said ” The government can not appoint NAB chairman without consulting with the opposition leader in the national assembly”.
Keeping in view legal position on the issue and assertion made by the Information minister, here on Sunday in a televised interview, it seems crystal clear that the Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI) government is intending to open- up yet another front with the opposition on the NAB chairman appointment to add another score in its match of futile exercises.
Since 2018 PTI government is utilising lion share of its energies for uncalled for and futile exercises rather than going for serious issues like pricehike , unemployment and lawlessness hurting the people of this country.
Fawad Chaudhary also divulged in many other issues of national importance during the interview including electrol reforms, economic growth and future predictions and difference between Mutiheda Qaumi Movement (MQM) of the past and present.
He conceded that Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PMLN) supremo , Nawaz Sharif’s departure to United Kingdom in 2017 caused irriparable loss to the PTI government. He blamed media for this ‘mistake’ and its subsequent loss to the government.