Apex court wants Shah removed from post

Islamabad: Pakistan's Supreme Court yesterday declared illegal the appointment of retired judge Deedar Shah as chairman of the anti-corruption National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and ordered his immediate removal from the post.

A three-judge Supreme Court bench announced the verdict after hearing petitions against the appointment made by President Asif Ali Zardari in October last year.

The bench comprising justices Javed Iqbal, Raja Fayyaz Ahmad and Asif Saeed Khosa ruled in its short order that Deedar Shah was appointed NAB chairman in violation of the constitution and the law.

The petitions challenging the appointment had been moved by leader of the opposition in the National Assembly, Chaudhry Nizar Ali Khan and freelance journalist Shahid Orakzai.

Ruling party links

The opposition leader in his petition had contended that Shah was known for his long association with the Pakistan Peoples Party and his participation in party politics during which he twice served as member of the Sindh provincial assembly.

Separately, the Lahore High Court (LHC) yesterday reserved its verdict on petitions challenging the simultaneous holding of dual offices by President Asif Ali Zardari, who is also co-chairman of the Paksitan Peoples Party.

A four-member full bench of LHC headed by its chief Justice Ijaz Chaudhry had conduction hearing on the petitions that had been filed by Pakistan Lawyers' Forum, Awami Peoples Party and an advocate.