ISLAMABAD: National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has been empowered to keep an accused on physical remand for up to 40 days  as acting President Yousuf Raza Gilani approved an ordinance to amend existing law.

Before ordinance, person arrested by NAB could be remanded into bureau’s custody for 14 days. However, under amended law, duration of physical remand has been increased to 40 days. Furthermore, punishment for NAB officials for making false cases has been reduced from 5 years to 2 years.

Ordinance was passed amidst hearing of NAB amendments case by Supreme Court (SC) of Pakistan, challenged by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf founder Imran Khan.

Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar who tabled bill in lower house of Parliament, said that multiple amendments were made in accountability Ordinance to clip powers exercised by accountability bureau.

Sharing details of key amendments, he said that after fresh amendments, no arrests could be made before completion of investigation process and suspect will have right to obtain bail while 90-day remand is also abolished.

“90-day remand is for terrorists and we have now reduced duration of remand to 14 days,” he said and added that no defamation campaign could be carried out unless suspect is convicted in case. Case could not be used for political purposes in assets beyond means case, he said.

Published in The Daily National Courier, May, 28 2024

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