Chairman Senate Raza Rabbani Thursday flayed National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for clearing a bureaucrat facing Rs 40 billion corruption charges, and tasked the Parliamentary Committee on Law and Justice to look into Section 25-A of NAB Ordinance pertaining to voluntary return. Speaking on a point of public importance, Senator Farhatullah Babar of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) said that for him it was the 'saddest day' as a corrupt bureaucrat who had admitted of corruption after millions of rupees were recovered from his residence, has been given a clean-chit by NAB.
He said that a man who was caught red-handed in massive corruption, has just been cleared off by the top anti-graft body for Rs 2 billion under the plea bargain and voluntary return, which has ashamed the whole country. He recalled that Supreme Court in its order on October 24 had ordered chairman NAB that he would not use the plea bargain option while recovering the corruption money, but with this decision, the NAB chief has proved that he is a man of his own will.
"This is violation of apex court's ruling which clearly directed that NAB chairman can not use the voluntary return section, but he is bent upon promoting the menace of corruption instead of preventing it, which is a point to ponder upon," he added.
Rabbani, who earlier said that he would give opportunity to all the senators to speak on the issue today (Friday), stated with a heavy heart, "It's made me sick, as NAB has totally failed our system." He said that Section 25-A of NAB Ordinance that deals with voluntary return, needs to be looked into, adding the issue is referred to law and justice committee, which comprises prominent lawyers, to work on it in light of Supreme Court's verdict.
He directed the parliamentary panel to look into the matter threadbare, especially the Section 25-A, and report back to the House on January 09, so that legislation in this regard could be initiated.
NCA BILL Amid strong protest by PPP Senator Farhatullah Babar, the Senate passed National Command Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2016, giving the powers for disbursement of funds to the federal government instead of Finance Division. The bill, which was moved by State Interior Minister Baleeghur Rehman, states that employees in service of the National Command Authority (NCA) are not civil servants, instead, the legal relationship of NCA with its employees is governed under the master and servant doctrine.
Furthermore, the bill would also prevent the abuse of the legal process with respect to the affairs of the state. "Provided that notwithstanding anything contained in any judgement decree, order, direction or declaration of any court including the Supreme Court of Pakistan or in this act or in any other law for the time being in force, the rules, instructions or orders already made, or which may be made, in respect of the employees and strategic organisations of the Authority shall be non-statutory unless approved by the federal government and published in the official gazette of Pakistan," said the amendment adopted by the House.
"The federal government shall ensure provision of funds and make contributions in local and foreign currencies to the Authority through Strategic Plans Division as may be necessary to the Authority," it added. Senate Defence Committee Chairman, Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed said that the committee had discussed the bill in detail and passed it with an overwhelming majority.
"We have followed the democratic and parliamentary procedures. So, this bill should be passed as it is in supreme national interest," he said. During discussion on the bill, Senator Farhatullah Babar who had also given a dissenting note at the committee level, once again recorded his dissent on the bill. He said that the bill will be passed at all costs, no matter how much he resists it.
"I know this will be passed no matter what, and I also know how helpless my colleagues sitting on treasury benches are as they've been told to do this. But it is my request to those who want to bulldoze the bill to at least allow a tribunal for its employees," he added
Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani said, "We all worked according to our conscience, and we have passed all stages and now we have to put this bill to the House. Let's put it for voting, so please Mr Babar, leave it as we did whatever we can." Senate Chairman also referred the matter of the government's decision to transfer the administrative control of five regulatory authorities from Cabinet Division to their respective ministries to standing committees on Devolution and Inter-Provincial Co-ordination with directives to report back by next session.
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