Qamar Zaman said in a statement issued here that the Leader of the Opposition Chaudhry Nisar Ali had requested the prime minister to extend the service of the former Auditor General.

Kaira said the prime minister expressed his regret and told him that such a decision was not possible.

The prime minister made it very clear to him that this would amount to violating the law.

Kaira said that Chaudhry Nisar instead of submitting himself to the law of the land began criticising the appointment of the new Auditor General, not realising at all that the prime minister had taken an absolutely lawful decision.

Kaira said that the Leader of the Opposition should know well about a simple fact that it was prerogative of the Government to appoint persons against various official and administrative posts.

Kaira said it was a fact that Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani held Chaudhry Nisar in high esteem.

However, it is unfortunate that Chaudhry Nisar had developed the habit of constantly saying no to everything. Here again in keeping with his habit he kept saying 'no no'.

Kaira said Chaudhry Nisar, thereafter adopted a strange behaviour. He began criticising the new Auditor General and threatened to resign from the Chairmanship of the Public Accounts Committee.

Kaira said if Chaudhry Nisar was so keen to resign, he should go ahead and do it.

Copyright APP (Associated Press of Pakistan), 2011