Leader of the Opposition in National Assembly Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, while rejecting the proposed appointment of Deedar Hussain Shah, a former judge, as chairman National Accountability Bureau (NAB), has proposed formation of a panel of appropriate candidates, of whom the head of the country's top accountability body be picked up after meaningful consultation with consensus.
Chaudhry Nisar, in a letter written in response to President Asif Ali Zardari's letter, wherein who had sought the former's opinion regarding the appointment of Deedar Hussain Shah as chairman NAB, rejected the proposed nomination with one stroke.
According to sources in the Leader of the Opposition's chamber, Chaudhry Nisar had referred to the short order of the Supreme Court on the appointment of the NAB chairman, wherein the apex court declared Deedar Hussain Shah's appointment as illegal.
The letter stated that Deedar Hussain Shah was inappropriate to be appointed as NAB chairman and government should act upon the directives of the apex court, which it passed on March 10, 2011. He proposed that someone else should be appointed to the office of the chairman NAB with consensus and meaningful consultation from the proposed panel of appropriate candidates. He, however, said that the consultation could be made after the detailed judgement of the apex court.
In his letter, which has been sent by secretary of the Leader of the Opposition to Secretary of the President, Chaudhry Nisar said that it was surprising that Justice Deedar was re-proposed for the slot of the NAB chairman without waiting for the detailed judgement of the apex court.
While referring to the protests in Sindh province on the call of provincial chapter of the PPP against the Supreme Court's order, he added that the protest by PPP against the verdict of the highest judiciary had further made the position of Justice Deedar controversial to head the accountability body.
He stated that the PPP disregarded the verdict of the apex court by giving the call of protest, adding that instead of going into agitation, the government should have abide by the decision of the Supreme Court. He also called upon the President to respect the verdict of the Supreme Court on the appointment of Deedar Hussain Shah and added that he had already given his opinion in this regard.