ISLAMABAD: Supreme Court fixed case related to amendments made to National Accountability Bureau (NAB) laws for hearing on January 10. Three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial comprising Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Mansoor Ali Shah would resume hearing of petition filed by former Prime Minister and PTI Chairman Imran Khan against amendments.

PTI Chief argued that amendments will “Virtually eliminate any white-collar crime committed by public officer holder.” Registrar office has issued notices to parties in case. Imran Khan’s lawyer Khawaja Harris had completed his arguments in case. In upcoming hearing, federal government’s lawyer Makhdoom Ali Khan would begin his arguments in case. After coming into power in April last, PDM government approved National Accountability (Second Amendment) Act 2022 a move that was termed by PTI an attempt to curtail powers of anti-graft watchdog.

In July last, federal Cabinet also passed, National Accountability (Third Amendment) Bill, 2022, which restricts organisation role in corruption cases of involving over Rs 500 million and revoking President’s authority to appoint judges of accountability court. During December hearings, CJP Umar Ata Bandial commented that amendments to National Accountability Bureau Ordinance will slide Pakistan 100 points down in world corruption index. Justice Ijazul Ahsan remarked that amendments were carried out only to benefit very lawmakers who legislated on it.

Published in The Daily National Courier, January, 07 2023

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