ISLAMABAD - In a tit for tat response after a statement issued by former president Asif Ali Zaradri that Nawaz Sharif should not act as a monarch, the prime minister has turned down the summary of a close aide to PPP co-chairman for his extension in contract as DG NAB Sindh.
Chairman National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Qamar Zaman Chaudhry Thursday appointed new Director General NAB Sindh after the contract of former DG NAB Sindh Wajid Ali Durrani expired on July 16.
Wajid Ali Durrani is a confidant of Asif Ali Zaradari and has enjoyed many important postings as PSP officer during the last PPP regime. He was working on two-year contract after he retired after reaching the age of superannuation.
Wajid Durrani while talking to The Nation confirmed that his contract as DG NAB Sindh expired on July 16 and he was leaving the charge of his duties after completion of his contract period. When he was asked whether he was removed on political basis, Durrani said he was not such an important person to be removed politically. "I did my job with full honesty and dedication," he concluded.
Official sources revealed that the removal has been made at a time when the former president Asif Ali Zardari the other day issued a statement against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. The chairman NAB has appointed a grade 20 officer of NAB as DG Sindh on current basis on the post of grade. 21.
The sources said that Chairman NAB Qamar Zaman Chaudhry had forwarded a summary to the prime minister for approving Durrani's name to give him another contract but he rejected it. The position of DG NAB is significant for the opposition party PPP as it was holding power in the province.
Under the relevant laws, the prime minister was the competent authority to make a fresh appointment as DG NAB in any province. However, the chairman NAB forwarded a summary to PM in this regard. The chairman has the powers to give current charge of DG to any internal officer of the Bureau till the fresh appointment.
According to a statement released by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Maj (Retd) Shabbir Ahmed has assumed the charge as Director General NAB Sindh. He has held the same post form May 2011 to July 2012.
He has also served in the Government of Sindh as Additional Secretary (Admn), Chief Minister House Sindh, DG Bureau of Statistics and Chairman Election Authority, Government of Sindh. Maj (Retd) Shabbir Ahmed is a regular NAB employee and has served in NAB HQ Islamabad and its regional offices on various posts, the statement added.
On assuming the charge as DG NAB Sindh, he reiterated his resolve to take forward the accountability drive without any fear and favour as per the law.