News
Saturday, October 09, 2010
Justice (r) Deedar made NAB chief
* PML-N rejects appointment
* Babar Awan says Nawaz showed confidence in writing in Justice (r) Deedar
* ANP says not taken into confidence
* Babar says president consulted opposition
By Tahir Niaz
ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari on Friday appointed Justice (r) Deedar Hussain Shah as chairman of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB). According to sources, Zardari has signed the summary sent to him by Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani proposing Justice (r) Deedar’s appointment.
However, opposition leader in the National Assembly Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan out rightly rejected the move. A notification in this regard would be issued later.
Earlier, Nisar told reporters outside the Parliament House that his party had rejected the two names submitted to him by the prime minister for the position, including Justice Deedar’s.
He said he wanted that the PM had consulted him on the issue instead of the Presidency, adding that he had written two letters to the PM on the issue. Nisar referred to Justice Deedar’s election as MNA on a PPP ticket in the past and added that he was ineligible for the position of the NAB chairman. He said in his letter to the PM he had made it clear that a proper legal process of consultation would have to be adopted, adding the consultations should be meaningful. Nisar said the decision could be challenged in court.
Letter: Law Minister Babar Awan on Friday claimed that the president had decided to appoint the NAB chairman after consulting with the PM and the opposition leader. He said the man appointed for the post was the one who had been praised by PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif in a letter.
PML-N leader Khawaja Asif said his party had rejected the appointment of Justice Deedar as the latter had been a PPP loyalist, adding that the decision had been taken in personal interests.
Confidence: ANP leader Zahid Khan said his party had not been taken into confidence on the appointment of the new NAB chairman. He added that the law minister had misled the government. He said the opposition should have been consulted over the issue, the channel reported.
Meanwhile, the president’s spokesman Farhatullah Babar said President Zardari had discussed with the PM and the opposition leader the appointment of the NAB chairman, the channel said.
Justice Deedar is a former Sindh High Court chief justice and judge of the Supreme Court. He was also a member of the PPP and participated in the provincial elections on a PPP ticket.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk