The top leadership of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPPP) is in a fix over proposing to the premier two names for the slot of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) head.
The legal aides of the party’s co-chairman have advised him against reaching a consensus on the induction, saying that it would draw a political backlash in the future.
The office of NAB chairman fell vacant following a Supreme Court verdict, declaring the appointment of Fasih Bokhari as illegal on May 28. Once some names are shortlisted, both the PM and opposition will deliberate in a bid to reach a consensus on one nominee.
Nawaz Sharif and Leader of Opposition Khursheed Shah have already agreed that the latter will give two names while the former will make one nomination and both will deliberate on those names to reach on a consensus nominee.
Shah has yet to make nominations due to which the matter is still pending and the Supreme Court also issued a warning to the government on Friday, asking to appoint a NAB chairman.
Two months ago, Nawaz had sent a letter to Shah proposing names of Justice (r) Rehmat Hussain Jaffrey and Khawaja Zaheer. To which, Shah had proposed names of Justice (r) Bhagwandas, Justice (r) Mamoon Qazi and Justice (r) Sardar Raza Khan. However, Justice (r) Mamoon declined the offer while Bhagwandas was rejected as he had recently served as the Federal Public Service Commission chairman and cannot be appointed against any public office.
A PPP source told Pakistan Today the party wanted an assurance from the PML-N that no previous cases would be reopened against Asif Zardari while no new cases would be initiated against any of the top party leaders.
“The legal advisors of the party co-chairman have warned against naming a consensus NAB chief without an assurance from Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif that no cases would be persuaded against (former) President Zardari while no cases would be launched against top PPP ministers including the PPPP President Amin Fahim,” the source said, adding that the PML-N leadership had given assurance to Zardari through intermediaries, including Khursheed Shah.
However, the source said Zardari wanted a loud and clear assurance from Nawaz.
“Any tension between the judiciary and the government would bring the PPP and the PML-N together. This would also help the PPP take advantage of the situation and pressure the PML-N government agree to its demands. So we will be in a win-win position in case of any delay in NAB chief appointment,” the source added.
“Things are very good, for the time being, between the PPP and the PML-N. But keeping in view the track record of Sharif family, the legal advisors have advised the (former) President that if a consensus NAB chief is appointed, the PPPP would not be in a position to raise the issue politically in case victimization is started against the PPP. The PML-N (government) may claim that the NAB chief was consensus appointee of PPP and the PML-N,” the PPP leader claimed.
The PPP leader was of the view that NAB had become a source of concern for the PPP as it started investigation against PPP leaders during the party’s tenure.
Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, on directions of Nawaz, called Shah on Friday night and urged him to give names for the slot. Shah told Dar that his party leadership was yet to deliberate on the matter and he would take up the issue with his party head on his arrival from London, a source in the PML-N said.
He said Dar had told the opposition leader that Nawaz was waiting for the PPP to nominate two people for the slot.
“Khusrhid Shah told Dar that he will return to Pakistan on September 19 and will start deliberations to build consensus over the matter within the opposition parties including PPPP, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and other partners,” the source concluded.
