Pakistan appoints former IB chief as anti-graft body chairman

Shahbaz Sharif-led Pakistan government has appointed former Intelligence Bureau (IB) chief Aftab Sultan as the new chairman of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), local media reported.

Last month, retired Justice Javed Iqbal stepped down as NAB chairman.

"The federal government is pleased to appoint Aftab Sultan, a retired BS-22 officer of Police Service of Pakistan, as chairman NAB after consultation between the leader of the House and the leader of the opposition in the National Assembly, for a non-extendable period of three years with effect from the date he assumes the charge of his office," Dawn newspaper citing a notification issued by the Ministry of Law and Justice reported.

It added that the new NAB chief's terms and conditions during his service would "be same as admissible to the judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan".

Taking to Twitter, the country's Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah also told the federal cabinet had approved Sultan's nomination.

"The federal cabinet has approved the nomination of Aftab Sultan as Chairman of NAB. He is a man of impeccable integrity having an impressive past record. We are hopeful that he will be able to steer the accountability drive without any partisanship," he tweeted.

Sultan had retired as the IB head on April 3, 2018 after serving since June 7, 2013, as per Dawn newspaper.

He served two governments each of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League (N) under four Prime Ministers including Yousuf Raza Gilani, Raja Pervez Ashraf, Nawaz Sharif and Shahid Khaqan Abbasi.

( With inputs from ANI )