The government wasted no time after Shahzad Akbar resigned as the prime minister’s adviser on accountability and interior, announcing former National Accountability Bureau (NAB) director general Brig (retired) Musaddiq Abbasi as his replacement on Wednesday.

A notification by the Cabinet Division, a copy of which is available with Dawn.com, stated:

"In exercise of the powers conferred by clause (1) of Article 93 of the Constitution [...], the president, on the advice of the prime minister, has been pleased to appoint Brig (retired) Musaddiq Abbasi as adviser to the prime minister on accountability and interior with immediate effect."

The appointment comes after Akbar announced his resignation on Monday, saying he would still remain associated with the PTI.

Editorial: Shahzad Akbar's exit is latest evidence the govt's accountability drive is coming undone

“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.

However, it later emerged that PM Imran may not have been too happy with the performance of the man hand-picked to lead the charge against his main political opponents; the leadership of the PML-N and PPP.

Sources privy to the development told Dawn that the premier had lost faith in Akbar, who had — in the prime minister’s view — failed to take the corruption cases against the Sharif family and others to their logical conclusion.

“Akbar had assured the prime minister that he would bring back the laundered and looted wealth within the first three years of the government’s term,” said a source close to the prime minister.

Politicians on both sides of the aisle, the source said, had begun to criticise the prime minister for his failure to put corrupt former rulers behind bars or recover the wealth they had allegedly stashed abroad.

However, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry later said that Akbar had worked under “tremendous pressure”.

“Taking action against mafias is not easy, but the way you worked and handled the cases is admirable. More important work is now awaiting you,” he said.