The Supreme Court was informed on Monday that vacant slot of prosecutor general of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) would be filled in a week after Mehmood Bashir Virk will take oath as Federal Law Minister on January 09 (today). Attorney General for Pakistan Ashtar Ausaf Ali apprised a three-member bench, led by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar during hearing of notice, of delayed appointment of the PG NAB as the slot has been vacant since Waqas Qadeer Dar retired in November last.
He also informed the bench that appointment of judge of Accountability Court-II Islamabad will be completed after consultation with the chief justice of the Islamabad High Court in next 10 days. However, Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar issued directives to the federal law secretary to furnish an affidavit about appointment of PG NAB and sought report pertaining to vacant slots in the courts performing under the ministry in the country.
Such courts include Competition Appellate Tribunal, Accountability Courts, Anti-Dumping Appellate Tribunal, Islamabad, Appellate Tribunal Inland Revenue, Banking Court, Commercial Courts, Customs Appellate Tribunal, Drug Courts, Environmental Protection Tribunal, Federal Service Tribunal, Foreign Exchange Regulation Appellate Board Human Rights Wing, Insurance Appellate Tribunal and Intellectual Property Tribunal.
A member of the bench Justice Gulzar remarked there should be a practice of nominating a judge of the tribunal or special court two months before the outgoing judge relinquishes charge. The hearing of the matter was adjourned for 10 days.