ISLAMABAD, Oct 3: Chairman of the National Accountability Bureau Lt-Gen Munir Hafiez is likely to complete his tenure as the bureau's chief till 2005 despite his retirement on Oct 30 this year, NAB's spokesman Brig Nasir told Dawn on Sunday.

The spokesman said that the retirement of the NAB chairman was due on Oct 30 but he would be allowed to continue to serve as the NAB chief without uniform. Another NAB official said that the likelihood of an extension in Lt-Gen Hafiez's service in the army and he would shed his uniform by Oct 30.

The newly-appointed Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC), Gen Ehsanul Haq has superseded seven colleagues, including the NAB chairman, Lt-Gen Munir Hafiez.

Lt-Gen Munir Hafiez of the 39 PMA Long Course had replaced chairman of the bureau Lt-Gen (retd) Khalid Maqbool in October 2001 for a four- year period. "If he completes his tenure, he would (be allowed to) continue to serve as the NAB chief till 2005," the official said.