LAHORE: The appointment of retired justice Javed Iqbal as chairman of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has been challenged before the Lahore High Court.

Barrister Javed Iqbal Jafree assailed the appointment through a writ petition pleading that the former judge has been appointed in violation of merit. He says neither the post was advertised nor was a search committee constituted to make the impugned appointment.

The lawyer further states that the appointment of the NAB chairman has been made with an `understanding` between the government and the opposition leader in the National Assembly. He alleges that other opposition parties have been kept aloof from the appointment process in violation of law.

Barrister Jafree also objects to the fact that the NAB chairman headed Abbotabad Commission but did not take any step to make its report public. He argues that the judges of superior judiciary should not accept jobs from the government after their retirement.

He asks the court to declare the appointment of retired Justice Iqbal void for allegedly being made in violation of merit and law.