Justice (retd) Maqbool Baqar likely to be appointed as new Chairman NAB

ISLAMABAD, May 28 (SABAH): Government and its coalition partners have agreed on name of Justice (retd) Maqbool Baqar as new Chairman of National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

According to media reports, the name of former Supreme Court judge came under discussion during meeting of Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and former president Asif Ali Zardari.

Sources further said that Government believes Opposition Leader of National Assembly Raja Riaz Ahmed will also support the government pick as Maqbool Baqar’s judicial career is spotless.

Government members are hopeful that if all goes smoothly, Justice (retd) Maqbool Baqar will be the new head of the anti-graft watchdog.

Justice Baqar had been promoted from the Sindh High Court to the Supreme Court and retired as a judge of the SC on Monday, April 4, 2022.

According to government sources, the judicial record of Justice Maqbool is immaculate.

PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry, on the other hand, told the reporters outside the Islamabad High Court on Saturday that a “puppet had been appointed as a dummy opposition leader,” adding that the nominations for the NAB chairman were being finalised”.

“Justice (retd) Maqbool Baqir is a reasonable man, hopefully, he will not be a part of this process,” said Fawad.