Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has launched a bid to control the appointment of the new NAB Chairman after Aftab Sultan stepped down on Tuesday.

The head of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) is appointed after consultation between the prime minister and the leader of the opposition in the National Assembly. It is a constitutional position and once appointed the all-power NAB chairman could not be removed easily.

The current leader of the opposition, Raja Riaz, is a reneged PTI lawmaker. He and around twenty others refused to resign in April 2022 when most of the PTI MNAs submitted resignations en mass after Imran Khan was ousted in a vote of no confince.

Since Imran Khan has lost control over Raja Riaz, he cannot influence the appointment of the new NAB chairman. There is a strong possibility that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will be able to pick anyone as the new chairman with the help of a friendly Leader of the Opposition Raja Riaz.

PTI’s Fawad Chaudhary held a press conference on Tuesday and demanded that before the process for the appointment of a new chairman begins, Raja Riaz should be removed as leader of the opposition.

No one would accept the appointment of a new NAB chairman if he or she is appointed in consultation with Raja Riaz, said Chaudhry.

Consultation with Raja Riaz is like Shehbaz consulting his cook, he said.

But most of the PTI MNAs have left the National Assembly. The speaker approved at least 35 resignations that were submitted by PTI MNAs in April.

Fawad Chaudhry said at least 70 MNAs were returning to the National Assembly to elect a new leader of the opposition.

Incidentally, the Lahore High Court on Tuesday stopped the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) from holding byelections on the seats vacated by PTI MNAs.

This will also PTI lawmakers who had resigned in April to go back to the National Assembly. They will then form a majority against around two dozen MNAs supporting Raja Riaz.

PTI writes to speaker to remove Raja Riaz

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf has written a letter to the speaker of the National Assembly for the removal of Raja Riaz as opposition leader.

The letter was written by PTI’s chief whip Amir Dogar and is dated February 21. It reminds the speaker that the Lahore High Court has suspended his decision of accepting 43 PTI resignations.

“As a result of this decision, the largest opposition party in the National Assembly is now PTI,” the letter reads.

It then mentions the fact that the new NAB chairman has to be appointed after a discussion between the prime minister and the opposition leader.

“Therefore, the replacement of Mr Aftab Sultan should only be finalized after consultation with the new leader of opposition nominated by the PTI,” the letter says.

“Raja Riaz jouride about to end,” PTI’s Asad Umar wrote as he tweeted out a copy of the letter.

Search for new NAB chairman begins

On the other hand, the government has started deliberations over who will be appointed the next NAB chairman.

The government is reportedly considering three names which include Azam Suleman, Yousaf Khokhar and Irfan Elahi.

The government will finalise its own list of candidates before discussing them with the leader of opposition.