NAB Amendment Ordinance 2019 challenged in SC

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Amendment Ordinance 2019 has been challenged at the Supreme Court here on Saturday (today).

A citizen Mehmood Akhtar Naqvi has filed a petition at Karachi Registry of the apex court challenging the amendment law.

President Dr. Arif Alvi had signed the (NAB) Amendment Ordinance 2019 into law on Friday, December 27.

The petitioner said, “All citizens are equal in the constitution of Pakistan, the amended ordinance is violation of the constitution and the fundamental rights of citizens”.

The federal cabinet’s approval to the (NAB) Ordinance 2019, is unprincipled and dubious.

The petition said, “The amended ordinance has pushed the NAB under the subordination of the scrutiny committee, petitioner said which will thoroughly affect the utility and importance of the accountability bureau”.

“It being feared that the ordinance will affect the possibility of an equal accountability of all,” petition said.

“It cooked up to protect favorite people from accountability cases,” it claimed.

According to the details, the NAB will not allowed to take action against government employees.

Moreover, the bureau will not seize property of government officials without the orders of the court.

For instance, if the NAB cannot complete an investigation against a suspect within three months, the accused will entitle to bail.

On the other hand, NAB will now only be able to proceed in corruption cases of Rs500 million and more.

Therefore, the anti-graft watchdog’s jurisdiction over matters relating to tax, stock exchange and IPOs has been curtailed.

However, no action will launch against government employees in case of departmental deficiencies, as per the proposed ordinance.

Earlier on October 22, the federal cabinet had approved amendments in (NAB) law 1999 and Benami Transaction Act 2017.