The government has approved the appointment of former Intelligence Bureau (IB) director general Aftab Sultan as National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chairperson.
The approval for Sultan’s appointment was granted in today’s federal cabinet meeting held under the chair of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
According to reports, Sultan’s name was suggested by the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP).
Sultan has earlier served as inspector general of the Punjab police and the commandant of the National Police Academy. His father and mother-in-law have been members of the National Assembly twice.
The post of NAB chairperson was lying vacant since last month after then NAB chairperson Justice (r) Javed Iqbal relinquished charge of his office on expiry of the ordinance through which he was given an extension till the appointment of a new chairperson.
Earlier, the term for NAB chairperson was four years. Iqbal had completed his term in October, 2021, but the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led government had promulgated an ordinance through which he was given an extension till the appointment of a new chairperson.
However, under the National Accountability (Second Amendment) Bill 2021, which was passed by a joint sitting of the Parliament, NAB chairperson, who completes a four-year term, cannot be appointed to the post for a second tenure.
Moreover, the amendment bill also reduced the four-year term of NAB chairperson and the bureau’s prosecutor general to three years.
