New NAB chief takes charge; court reopens Zardari cases

E-Paper | July 18, 2026

ISLAMABAD: The new chairman of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), retired Major Qamar Zaman Chaudhry, assumed charge of his office on Friday, and coincidentally, an accountability court reopened six cases against former president Asif Zardari.

The cases had remained dormant because of immunity enjoyed by Mr Zardari during his presidential tenure.

With the appointment of Mr Chaudhry, some politicians have said, cases against top leaders of the PML-N and the PPP will remain dormant because they will not be pursued by NAB.

Former presidential spokesman Farhatullah Babar claimed there was no case pending against Mr Zardari because he had been acquitted in all cases. But if the NAB reopened any case against him, the PPP would face it, he added.

The new chairman will also have to decide about pending references, including Rs22 billion Rental Power Projects scam and Rs82 billion Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority scandal. The references are against former prime ministers Yousuf Raza Gilani and Raja Pervez Ashraf.

Pakistan

Zaman’s NAB appointment notified

NAB chief says Zardari enjoys complete immunity

Bob-Wuxi

Oct 12, 2013 10:43am

New season of the old circus. The end will be the same, nothing is going to happen. NAB and their cronies will fill their pockets in the name of accountability and the fat cats will purr as usual. What is that saying in old Texas, you fool me once shame on you and you fool me again and shame on me something like that..

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Bob-Wuxi

Oct 12, 2013 10:53am

I have no idea why this qualifies as News. This kind of News is a feel good story to lull people to think that something is going to happen this time. We all know that nothing is going to happen to anyone. Even the worse chaotic violence is always and will be directed towards poor people. When was the last time anyone heard that a thug got wasted in a robbery or unfortunate road accident. Never happens.

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Bob-Wuxi

Oct 12, 2013 11:01am

People who defend, abet and aid corrupt people in any capacity should be held accountable. The worst corruption is to bend the law to let the fat cats to go scott free. Recover every single penny , folks

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shujaat aziz

Oct 13, 2013 01:41am

it is very strange that person who remained beneficial during the rein of both parties would conduct an accountability procedure against them .as long as NAB will remain under influence of govt it is impossible to keep any hope from NAB

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