This is apropos a Business Recorder news item "Ordinance promulgated by President: Accountability law undergoes major overhaul" carried by the newspaper yesterday. According to it, President Dr Arif Alvi has "appeared to have bailed Prime Minister Imran Khan out from the hectic exercise of engaging with Shehbaz Sharif, the opposition leader in the National Assembly, for the appointment of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) top boss". That the PTI government had decided not to consult the opposition leader on the appointment of the new NAB chairman from day one is a grim reality. In other words, it was a clear violation of the constitution. The government's argument that Shehbaz Sharif cannot be consulted because he has been facing corruption cases lacks intellectual integrity on several fronts as nowhere had the constitution prohibited the government from holding consultations with the leader of opposition on account of corruption charges against him. It's quite unfortunate that the government has clearly gone overboard manipulating things with regard to appointment of the NAB chairman.

Nausheen Rahat (Lahore)

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021