ISLAMABAD – Shahzad Akbar on Monday resigned as Prime Minister Imran Khan’s adviser on accountability and interior, in a major development.
“I have tendered my resignation today to PM as Advisor. I sincerely hope the process of accountability continues under leadership of PM IK as per PTI’s manifesto. I will remain associated with party n keep contributing as member of legal fraternity,” he wrote on Twitter.
I have tendered my resignation today to PM as Advisor. I sincerely hope the process of accountability continues under leadership of PM IK as per PTI’s manifesto. I will remain associated with party n keep contributing as member of legal fraternity.
— Mirza Shahzad Akbar (@ShazadAkbar) January 24, 2022
Akbar, who has also been served as deputy prosecutor for the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), was appointed as the special aide to the prime minister on accountability and interior in August 2018.
In July 2020, Akbar was made an adviser to the prime minister with the same portfolio.
Akbar played a leading role in the Panama Papers-linked money laundering cases in which former prime minister Nawaz Sharif was convicted. He was actively pursuing various corruption cases against opposition leaders.
Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry in a tweet said that the outgoing PM’s aide worked under “tremendous pressure”.
“It was never easy to take on mafias, but the way you worked and handled cases is admirable. More important work is now awaiting you,” he said.
You worked under tremendous pressure,it was never easy to take on Mafias but way you worked and handled cases is admirable, more important work is now awaiting you Inshallah.. https://t.co/JSYKHYdCAt
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) January 24, 2022
However, PML-N leader Mohammad Zubair hit out at Akbar, saying: “After messing up and wasting national resources, here comes the resignation. We always knew he will fail. Jumping the ship at the right moment, Shahzad Akbar has proven to be a smart person. There were no open and shut cases — that was all made up so that Imran Khan could get in power”.
After messing up & wasting national resources, here comes the resignation. We always knew he will fail. Jumping the ship at the right moment, Shahzad Akbar has proven to be a smart person. There were no open & shut cases – that was all made up so that IK could get in power https://t.co/zrAqRBwFlT
— Mohammad Zubair (@Real_MZubair) January 24, 2022
