Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's point man on accountability resigned on Monday, January 24, 2022, a move termed by the Opposition as failure to implicate them in fake corruption cases.
Adviser to the Prime Minister on Accountability and Interior, Shahzad Akbar tweeted that he had submitted his resignation to the premier but vowed to continue working for the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI).
“I sincerely hope the process of accountability continues under the leadership of PM Imran as per the PTI’s manifesto. I will remain associated with the party and keep contributing as a member of the legal fraternity," he said.
Mr. Akbar remained a controversial figure due to his tall claims at pressers regarding alleged mega corruption by opposition leaders like Shehbaz Sharif of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Asif Ali Zardari of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).
But he failed to get either of them convicted despite keeping them in jail for months in various cases, which ultimately weakened the "anti-sleaze" narrative of PM Khan that had helped him to win the federal elections in 2018.
After about three and half years in office, Mr. Khan is under pressure to address public problems due to rising prices as well as make good on his promises to fix mega corruption by punishing corrupt politicians.
Mr. Akbar maintained that he willingly stepped down but insiders said that Mr. Khan asked him to tender his resignation. “Actually the prime minister was not happy with his performance and was looking for his replacement for some time,” according to a PTI leader.
ARY News also reported that Mr. Akbar was asked to tender resignation due to his lackluster performance.
Mr. Akbar was a former deputy prosecutor for the anti-corruption watchdog, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and was appointed by Mr. Khan as Special Assistant Advisor on Accountability and Interior in August 2018. He was elevated to the position of adviser to the prime minister with the same portfolio in July 2020.
