Imran Khan challenges NAB law amendment in Supreme Court

Former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan challenged on Saturday amendments to the National Account­ability (NAB) Ordinance in the Supreme Court (SC),Aaj News reported.

As per the petition filed under article 184 (3) of the constitution, the recent amendments are in violation of the constitution.

The petition has requested the top court to adjudicate upon a question of "great public importance with reference to the enforcement of fundamental rights of citizens under articles 9 (security of a person), 14 (inviolability of dignity of a man, etc), 19A (right to information), 24 (protection of property rights) and 25 (equality of citizens).

The petition went on to say the amendment is "a manoeuvre by the bulk of the holders of public office to assume control over and influence the impartiality of NAB chairman."

It named the Federation of Pakistan, through its secretary Law and Justice Division, and the NAB, through its chairman, as respondents in the case.

In May, the National Assembly had passed bills to abolish the PTI government’s election reforms giving overseas Pakistanis the right to vote through i-Voting and electronic voting machines (EVMs), as well as the NAB laws.

President Alvi refuses to sign National Accountability (Amendment) Bill

After the president’s refusal to sign the bills, the joint session of the Parliament had passed the National Accountability (Second Amendment) Bill 2021 and Elections (Amendment) Bill, 2022.

After the joint sitting’s approval, the bills were sent once again to the president for approval.

President Arif Alvi refused to sign the bill, saying that the implementation was "misused for political exigencies by those in power and by vested interests".

As per the NAB (Second Amendment) Bill 2021, the bureau's deputy chairman, to be appointed by the federal government, would become the acting chairman of NAB following the completion of the tenure of the chairman.

The bill has also reduced the four-year term of the NAB chairman and the bureau's prosecutor general to three years.

The bill states that regulatory bodies functioning in the country have also been placed out of NAB's domain.