Political pundits, apart from their political associations, are coveting the replacement of politically-motivated National Accountability Bureau with an independent and impartial accountability mechanism, already agreed by two mainstream parties under the Charter of Democracy.
"No doubt, NAB has a black history vis-à-vis victimisation of political leaders merely to serve the objectives of a military dictator. The new accountability mechanism must be independent and neutral to dispense with the cases of politicians and businessmen was the consensus of the mainstream political parties interviewed by this news agency on Saturday.
Both the Pakistan People's Party and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz had reached a consensus to establish an impartial accountability commission under the Charter of Democracy by former prime ministers Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif in May 2006. "To replace politically motivated NAB with an independent accountability commission, whose chairman shall be nominated by the prime minister in consultation with the leader of opposition and confirmed by a joint parliamentary committee with 50 percent members from treasury benches and remaining 50 percent from opposition parties in the same manner as appointment of judges through transparent public hearing," the Charter states.
When questioned, Leader of the Opposition in Senate Wasim Sajjad, also a prominent lawyer, viewed that both the PPP and PML-N would come to an understanding shortly to promulgate new accountability law as both are in contact to resolve the issue.
He strongly opposed the establishment of special courts for accountability rather, he said, corruption cases should be disposed of by the normal courts and said the existing system may also be reformed through some amendments in the law.
Pakistan Muslim League-N Senator Zafar Ali Shah said both the signatory parties of CoD have already declared NAB ordinance as `black law', but unfortunately, the establishment of any such alternate mechanism is yet awaited. He said NAB would continue hearing the NRO cases until any substitute comes as the new law would recommend as to which court these pending cases may be referred, stressing the government to fulfil the commitments made in the CoD.
Awami National Party Senator Haji Adeel was of the view that NAB would continue functioning till its replacement with any transparent mechanism but "it should be assured that new system is not used for political purposes." However, he said the government has not yet used existing NAB for political objectives or victimise the political opponents and added it is up to the government to either promulgate new accountability law or introduce some amendments.
Jamaat-e-Islami Senator Professor Khurshid Ahmed said Charter of Democracy is not a `final word' rather the PPP, a signatory, also went against it by meeting twice with army dictator Pervez Musharraf. He said establishment of NAB by Musharraf was a step in wrong direction and it is direly needed to be replaced with an independent judicial accountability mechanism after taking all political parties onboard.
Muttahida Quami Movement MNA S A Iqbal Qadri said the new law is being made to establish an independent accountability system that would be approved once all political parties say yes to it. When questioned what would be the guarantee of NAB's impartiality while hearing NRO cases, he said it depends on the judge how much he is committed to maintain sanctity of his profession.
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