Soon after the Supreme Court disposed of a matter relating to appointment of prosecutor general National Accountability Bureau on Wednesday, the government filled the vacant slot by appointing former Justice Syed Asghar Haider. On November 23 last, Waqas Qadeer Dar retired from the post after completing his three-year tenure and since then the post had been lying vacant. Chairman NAB former Justice Javed Iqbal had suggested the names of Mudhasir Khalid Abbasi, Shah Khawar, Syed Asghar Haider, Fasihul Mulk and Nasir Saeed Sheikh for the slot.
On January 22, Additional Attorney General Waqar Rana informed a three-member bench led by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar that President of Pakistan turned down all the five names sent by the chairman NAB for appointment, saying the President recommended only three names - Waqar Hasan Mir, Chaudhry Mohammad Ramzan and Najeeb Faisal Chaudhry - for the post. The bench had asked the federal secretary law to file concise statement over delay in appointment and rejection of names.
During the course of hearing on Wednesday, the Supreme Court was apprised that Prime Minister has recommended the name of Syed Asghar Haider and a notification in this regard would be issued within two days, after which the apex court disposed of the matter. Former Justice Syed Asghar Haider was among those Lahore High Court judges who had taken oath under the November 3, 2007 Provisional Constitutional Order that was promulgated by the then Army Chief and President Pervez Musharraf.
It is important to mention that soon after the proceedings concluded in the apex court, Deputy Secretary Ministry of Law and Justice issued a notification about appointment of Syed Asghar Haider as PG NAB.