The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has submitted new proposed rules to the Supreme Court, laying down the role of the accountability watchdog’s chairman in making appointments, arrests, approval of references and other functions, a private TV channel reported on Thursday.
The fresh rules were framed under Section 34 of the NAB law, which gives NAB chairman the authority to appoint director generals and directors in the institution. According to the new proposed rules, the NAB chairman will issue guidelines for the arrest of a person accused of corrupt practices and it will be mandatory for all the officials to follow those. The chairman would give a final nod for filing of any reference against the accused and only he would have the authority to decide on it and issue guidelines in this regard. The reference will be filed a month after approval from the chairman.
Under the proposed rules, the NAB chairman will have the authority to hire officials on BPS-19 and above while Human Resource Department director general will make appointments on vacant posts between BPS-16 to BPS-18. Director Human Resource will make appointments on BPS-1 to BPS-15 posts.
The proposed rules also lay down guidelines for arrests, reference, voluntary return of the amount, and plea bargain. Complaint and its verification, inquiry and investigation process are also defined under the proposed rules. A complaint received to the NAB Headquarters will be sent to the relevant NAB office and will be presented before the regional board within a month of being received. The regional board will be bound to verify the complaint within eight weeks and will convert it into an inquiry after receiving any credible information about it. Arrests can be made during the inquiry process if required and the NAB officials will be bound to complete the inquiry process within a month, with an extension of one month if needed.
