The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Monday was informed by the provincial government that it has formed a committee to review the repeal of the National Accountability Ordinance (NAO) 1999. The SHC bench headed by Chief Justice Ahmed Ali M Shaikh, was hearing a bunch of petitions filed by several political parties including Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan, Pakistan Muslim League-Functional, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Pasban e Pakistan and some other NGOs who have moved the court against Sindh government for repealing NAO, better known as NAB Ordinance, in the province.
In Monday's hearing, the Advocate General Sindh Barrister Zameer Hussain Ghumro informed the judges that the provincial cabinet has formed committee to review the National Accountability Ordinance 1999 Sindh Repeal Bill, 2017. The committee is directed to convene its meetings and to submit its report within six weeks, he added. The bench put off the hearing and directed the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to continue its operation in the province.
Earlier, the Sindh government had formed a committee comprising provincial ministers, Dr Sikndar Mandhro, Nisar Khuhro, Nasir Hussain Shah and Sardar Shah, Zameer Ghumro and law secretary.
Several opposition parties and NGOs had moved the court after the Sindh government had decided to replace NAB with its own 'Sindh Accountability Agency'. The petitioners said that the repeal NAO is an attempt by the PPP to protect its corruption and is against the basic scheme of the Constitution.
The provincial assembly had on July 3 passed the National Accountability Ordinance 1999 Sindh Repeal Bill, 2017 that repealed the applicability of the NAB Ordinance to departments and autonomous bodies controlled by the provincial government. It had also approved the establishment of a provincial accountability agency.