New NAB nominee has weak credentials, known political loyalties

ISLAMABAD: As the PML-N and PPP have decided ‘in principle’ and in violation of the NAB Ordinance to appoint Interior Secretary Major (retd) Qamar Zaman as chairman NAB, the decision casts serious doubts on the anti-corruption efforts of the government as Qamar is known for his sustained loyalty to the Sharif brothers. Also, a close relative of Qamar is a PML-N MPA. Other than this loyalty factor, Qamar is also disqualified for the post as the NAB Ordinance says the chairman must be a retired BS-22 officer whereas he is still in service. The NAB Ordinance’s Section 6 (ba) says: A person shall not be appointed as Chairman NAB unless he (i) is a retired Chief Justice or a Judge of the Supreme Court or a Chief Justice of a High Court; or (ii) is a retired officer of the Armed Forces of Pakistan equivalent to the rank of a Lieutenant General; or (iii) is a retired Federal Government Officer in BPS 22 or equivalent.”Incidentally, the qualification has also been quoted in the Supreme Court’s judgment against the appointment of Admiral (retd) Fasih Bokhari, that was challenged by now-Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ahmed (whose secretary is being made the chairman NAB now). But as his name emerged for the NAB post, some media reports said he had submitted his resignation and had retired from the government service. How that was done is yet not clear. While a PML-N loyalist has emerged a consensus candidate for the chairman NAB, former president Asif Ali Zardari’s sister, Dr Azra Pacheho, is being appointed as chairman Public Accountability Committee (PAC) to settle the audit paras of irregularities committed during under the watch of her brother. Other than the PML-N, Qamar also enjoys the confidence of the PPP leadership as he also served at the position of interior secretary with interior minister Rehman Malik, another NAB-tainted figure. “Qamar Zaman is an officer who can say no to none,” commented one of his colleagues. Hardly was he ever made an OSD by any government. The government’s seriousness towards accountability is also apparent from the fact that it rejected the name of Dr Shoaib Suddle, former Federal Tax Ombudsman, a retired police officer of unblemished past known for discharging duty without any fear or favour. Qamar Zaman appears to be a plausible choice for the PML-N and PPP leadership as both have corruption inquiries pending in the NAB, hence anybody of strong credentials can eclipse their political future by holding them to account. Earlier, an effort was made to appoint him chief secretary Punjab during the interim set-up to hold ‘fair and free’ elections, a move foiled by the PTI that raised objections citing his close links with the PML-N that considers Punjab at its stronghold. Qamar Zaman was the ADC to Gen Ziaul Haq, former military ruler, considered protégé of Sharif brothers who owed him their political rise as he introduced them in national politics. Qamar was inducted into the civil service in 1982 along with two other influential army officers: Maj Nadeem Manzoor, son-in-law of Gen K M Arif, and nephew of Gen Fazle Haq, Maj Iftikhar Ali Shah. He has been a close confidant of PML-N leadership for a long time. Qamar was staff officer to chief secretary Anwar Zahid when Nawaz Sharif was chief minister Punjab. Later, he served as deputy commissioner and then commissioner, both at one place, Rawalpindi, during the first tenure of Nawaz Sharif as prime minister. He simultaneously held three positions during the last government of the PML-N as he was chief commissioner Islamabad, chairman CDA and also secretary of a federal division. He was appointed bypassing many of his seniors in order to serve at BS-22 position while being a BS-20 officer. Qamar was chief secretary Gilgit-Baltistan during the Musharraf regime and secured a coveted position of secretary interior as the PPP came into power in 2008. His only defiance, unwittingly though, was to put on ECL all NRO beneficiaries after the Supreme Court revoked this law. This decision had landed him in serious trouble as he was put under suspension after the then defence minister Ahmed Mukhtar was barred from flying abroad. Qamar was also served a contempt notice in the NICL case together with Abdul Rauf Ch (now tax ombudsman who was also considered for NAB top slot) and Khushnud Lashari for willful defiance of the SC orders. A three-member bench headed by the chief justice issued this order on June 8, 2011: “In order to meet the ends of justice, we find it necessary to issue notices under Section 17 (1) of the Contempt of Court (Ordinance V ) of 2003, to Qamar Zaman Ch, Secretary, Ministry of Interior, Abdul Rauf Ch., Secretary, Establishment Division, and Khushnood Lashari, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, for willful defiance of the orders of this Court passed on 24.1.2011, by withdrawing notification dated 18.4.2011, which has hampered the smooth investigation in the case involving huge amounts of public money, who may file their replies and matter be fixed in Court on 23.6.2011.” As PML-N government returned to power in 2013, he was among those officers shortlisted for the slot of principal secretary to PM Nawaz Sharif but later appointed as secretary interior with Nisar with whom he enjoys equal closeness as he spent a fair portion of his career as commissioner Rawalpindi.