Opposition consulted: NAB chairman's appointment President's discretion, says Prime Minister

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Saturday said the appointment of Chairman National Accountability Bureau (NAB) was a discretionary right of the President and he appointed Syed Deedar Hussain by exercising his powers.
Talking to newsmen after addressing as chief guest at the culmination ceremony of 150th Founders' Day of Lawrence College Ghora Gali (LCGG), Gilani said he was assigned a difficult responsibility by the President to consult opposition leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan on the proposed names for Chairman NAB.
"I twice consulted the leaders of opposition who rejected the names of Syed Deedar Hussain and Mukhtar Junejo, " the Prime Minister said, adding that the summary was forwarded to the President for appointment of Chairman NAB along with a dissent note and reservations of opposition leader to the names. After that the President appointed Chairman NAB while using his discretionary powers the Prime Minister said, adding that the government is bound to consult opposition on appointment of Chairman NAB but consensus is not necessary.
To a question about the reported list of the NRO ministers given to the government for their removal from the Cabinet by the Chief of Army Staff during a meeting with the Prime Minister and President, Gilani said neither such thing has happened during the meeting nor there is role of the Army Chief. The changes in the Cabinet would be made when the government deems it necessary, Gilani said.
About strong reaction by the opposition to the recently approved law aimed at reinstating the sacked employees, Gilani said the bill has been approved unanimously by the Parliament and Pakistan Muslim League (N), if desires could challenge it in the court. Earlier, addressing the ceremony, the Prime Minister announced issuance of coin to commemorate the 150th anniversary celebration of LCGG and three holidays for the students. Gilani said the dream of national development would remain a pipedream unless teaching institutions and universities become the hub of research and creativity capable of offering fresh insight and innovative solutions to the contemporary problems. "This requires departing the traditional ways of thinking and embracing change to catch up with the needs of time," he added.
Gilani said Pakistan is lucky that a large chunk of its population comprises the youth aged between 15 and 24 years. We need infrastructure and extensive programmes and above all sustained policy focus on long-term basis to tap this potential that can be utilised for the economic advancement and development of our country, he added.
The Prime Minister said the nation is in the decisive phase of its history and retrogressive forces are adamant to take away its values, traditions and identity. It goes without saying that terrorism and extremism constitute the daunting challenge for the state and society. As I keep saying that it is not merely a physical fight. Rather it is a battle of ideas. In order to comprehensively eliminate extremism and terrorism, we need to defeat the idea which generates it in the first place, he added.
This, he said is possible only when intellectuals, religious scholars, academia and students come forward and give their input. The teaching institutions and universities have huge obligations on their shoulders on this count. They must launch intellectual Jihad against terrorism and extremism by inculcating the values of respect and harmony among its students, he said. "Our schools, colleges and universities must become the hub of generating ideas," he added.