ISLAMABAD: Ministry of Law and Justice formally issued the notification of appointment of Justice (retd) Shah Khawar as National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) prosecutor general accountability.
According to information available with Pakistan Today, the ministry of law and justice on Wednesday issued the notification for Shah Khawar’s appointment and he will only handle the Hudaibiya Paper Mills reference case under clause 8 (c) of National Accountability Ordinance (NAO).
NAB’s spokesperson also confirmed that notification of Khawar’s appointment as special prosecutor for Hudaibiya case had been issued.
It is pertinent to mention that NAB chairman on Tuesday gave the approval of Khawar’s appointment despite the reluctance of the government to fill the post of prosecutor general accountability.
The bureau had sent the summary to the prime minister for the appointment of the prosecutor, but no reply was received after which NAB chairman appointed Khawar.
The clause 8(c) of the NAO explains that the prosecutor, with the approval of NAB chairman, may appoint special prosecutors to conduct prosecution of cases and to appoint advocates to institute or defend cases, appeals, petitions, applications and all other matters before any court [or tribunal including the high courts and the supreme court in matters arising out of or relating to proceedings under this ordinance].
The ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) had expressed its reservations over the appointment of Shah Khawar as special prosecutor.
Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah had requested to NAB chairman to reconsider the appointment as Shah Khawar is a known Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) supporter and was appointed deputy attorney general during the PPP’s tenure in return for his services to the party.
Sanaullah said that Khawar had been speaking against the PML-N and its leadership in TV talk shows during the last eight months.
