ISLAMABAD: Despite hue and cry by the opposition parties, the Ministry of Law on Saturday has issued a notification after the approval of NAB Amendment Ordinance 2019.
In the amended NAB laws the business community, bureaucrats and public office holders have been given protection. As per the notification, the arrest of the accused has been handed over to court from NAB.
It says that upon the promulgation of the ordinance, inquiries and investigations shall stand transferred to the respective authorities or departments which administer the relevant laws of taxation, levies or imposts in question.
Trials shall stand transferred from the relevant accountability courts to the criminal courts which deal with offences under the respective laws pertaining to taxation, levies, or imposts in question.
With regard to procedural lapses in any government project or scheme, it says no action under the ordinance shall be taken against any holder of public office unless it is shown that the holder of public office has materially benefitted by gaining any asset or monetary benefit which is disproportionate to his known sources of income, or where such material benefit cannot be reasonably accounted for, and there is evidence to corroborate the acquiring of such material benefit.
Importantly, it reads, no action under the ordinance shall be taken against any holder of public office in any matter pertaining to the rendition of any advice, opinion or report, unless it is shown that the holder of public office has materially benefitted by gaining any asset or monetary benefit which is disproportionate to his known sources of income, or where such material benefit cannot be reasonably accounted for.
Earlier, the Supreme Court of Pakistan (SCP) received an application against the National Accountability (Amendment) Ordinance, 2019, promulgated by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government through a presidential ordinance on Friday that made momentous alterations to the accountability law known as the National Accountability Ordinance, 1999.
The application pleaded with the apex court to immediately order suspending the National Accountability (Amendment) Ordinance, 2019 while claiming that the amendment was against Article 25 of the Constitution, and any attempt to protect the corruption of ministers and government officials.
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