Accountability courts given powers to transfer references to relevant forums: Law Minister

ISLAMABAD (APP) - Federal Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar on Friday said that the government had proposed amendments in section-IV and V of the NAB law with regard to the references returned by the accountability courts.

Addressing a press conference, he said that an ordinance would be issued until the Parliament in session, he said, adding that the accountability courts had been given powers to transfer the references to the relevant forums if these did not fall in their jurisdictions.

He said that there had been rumours about the future of the references returned by the accountability courts recently, adding that indeed these references were not quashed instead only their forums had been changed.

The minister said that the NAB chairman would be authorized to send the inquiries to the relevant institutions. "However, the investigations on various matters could be closed only if the court would be satisfied."

He said that deputy chairman would use all the powers of the NAB chairman in his absence.

Tarar said that previously the NAB had been accused of political engineering and the apex court had also observed the same in the Khawaja Saad Rafique case. "The PML-N leadership was acquitted from the NAB references by courts under the previous laws," he said.

Azam Nazeer Tarar said that PTI government had used the NAB for political purposes, adding that Imran Khan had introduced three ordinances during his tenure.

To a question, the minister said that under Article 19 of the constitution Toshakhana record from 2,000 to onward would be public soon on website or in print form without discrimination after being compiled.

He, however, said that compiling record of Toshakhana since 1947 was a huge and time taking exercise. To another questioned, he said that there was a need that every institution should have self-accountability system.