The National Accountability Bureau claimed on Thursday that Prime Minister Imran Khan had barred NAB Chairman Javed Iqbal from appearing before parliamentary committees, including the Public Accounts Committee.
An in-camera session of the PAC was scheduled to be held Thursday under the chairmanship of MNA Rana Tanveer Hussain, which the NAB chief did not attend.
The reason for Iqbal’s absence was revealed in a letter written by NAB to the secretary of the assembly, that stated that PM Imran had approved “that the Director General would represent Chairman NAB in his capacity of Principal Accounting Officer, before the Parliamentary Committees, including the PAC, Constitutional and Statutory Bodies”.
The letter maintained that the decision was made “in view of the statutory functions and responsibilities of the Chairman NAB”.
Moreover, principal accounting officers were barred from appearing before constitutional bodies and autonomous bodies.
Taking exception to the letter, PAC Chairman Rana Tanveer stated that he would write a letter to the Cabinet Division to verify NAB’s letter. He added that if the rules give the premier the power to choose the DG as a representative in place of the chairman then the committee will accept the letter.
Tanveer further said that the position of the chief justice of the Supreme Court was different from that of the NAB chairman, claiming that the latter should be held accountable.
“If the government does not hold him accountable, there will be abuse of law. The money spent by the NAB chairman during his tenure will have to be accounted for,” he maintained.
According to the PAC chairman, the cabinet secretary should have informed him by telephone and in writing whether the notification has been made in accordance with the law, and not because they are “dear to the prime minister”.
He stated that they would have to observe what the law says, adding that the government should keep in mind that this would have “far-reaching impacts”.
