Opposition political parties on Wednesday demanded withdrawal of the recently promulgated NAB Amendment Ordinance 2017 and also called for inclusion of judges and generals in the accountability process under the reviewed laws. The Parliamentary Committee on National Accountability Law held its maiden meeting and elected Zahid Hamid [Minister for Law] unopposed as its chairman.
Opposition members of the committee had raised objection on the promulgation of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Amendment Ordinance 2017 on January 07, a day before the start of Senate session. The Ordinance was promulgated after a widespread criticism on the NAB plea bargain, which seeks to disqualify for life the public office-holders as well as government servants who benefit from the National Accountability Bureau's laws of voluntary return and plea bargain.
Shah Mehmood Qureshi, representing Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in the committee, demanded that the government should take back the ordinance, adding he was unable to understanding the reason behind promulgation of the ordinance when the parliamentary committee for the purpose was already formed. "Why a presidential ordinance was promulgated when the parliamentary committee to review the laws was already formed...it's beyond my understanding," he added.
In his response, Zahid Hamid, who is also law minister, said that the government is ready to bring changes in the Ordinance if the opposition wants so, adding the government would reconsider the suggestions to be given by the opposition when the NAB laws will be amended.
Defending the promulgation of the presidential ordinance, he said that it was need of the hour as the pleas bargain and voluntary return laws have been being criticised sine long, adding it was a flawed law that's why the ordinance was issued. He said that the ordinance was issued on the instructions of the Prime Minister after taking notice of the open letter by Chairman Senate Raza Rabbani and the matter raised by Senator Farhatullah Babar regarding former provincial Finance Secretary Mushtaq Raisani. He further said that the Supreme Court has also criticised the laws and asked the government to give a clear stance on it.
To the objection raised by Pakistan People's Party Parliamentarians' (PPPP) representative, Syed Naveed Qamar who questioned the timing of the promulgation of the presidential ordinance, Hamid said that the committee would have complete powers to amend if it considers anything inappropriate in the laws. However, Qureshi insisted if the government is ready to review the ordinance, it should be taken back. "If you are not ready to withdraw the Ordinance, there is no need of the committee," he added.
Qaumi Wattan Party (QWP) Chief Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao stated that the government hurriedly brought the ordinance, which contains many flaws. "If you have the courage then make the judges and general also accountable under the law," Sherpao said. "If [you have] no courage, let's recite Fateha," remarked Shah Mehmood Qureshi of PTI.
PPPP Senator Farhatullah Babar supported his colleagues, saying that judiciary and military should also be made accountable, adding the law will not be complete if only politicians and bureaucrats are held accountable. "Any such law would be deemed as discriminatory which is unable to make these institutions [judiciary and military] accountable," he said, adding the committee needs to come up with bold laws applicable to all and not to a particular segment of the society.
Babar also demanded amendments in the terms of references (ToRs) of the committee with a view to bring all the institutions in the ambit of accountability process. He also demanded that proceedings of the committee should be open for media. Later, Shah Mehmood Qureshi told reporters that decision has been taken to hold in-camera proceeding of the committee while the opposition wants an open proceeding of the parliamentary body.
He said that it was also decided that the committee would work the way 18th Constitutional amendment was worked upon and that the committee would not be bound to the presidential ordinance. He said that corruption has become a national issue and it did not reduce despite NAB and other laws. He said that efforts would be made to bring such laws which would be free of political point-scoring. The committee will again meet on January 17 for in-camera session.
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