New ordinance will give relief to politicians, bureaucrats involved in NAB cases

LAHORE (92 News) – The new NAB Amendment Ordinance 2019 will give relief to the politicians and bureaucrats who involved in the NAB cases. According to the sources, politicians and bureaucracy have taken a huge sigh of relief after passing of the recent NAB Amendment Ordinance as mega corruption cases are likely to be transferred to other institutions from the NAB and the accountability courts. Former president Asif Ali Zardari’s mega money laundering case is also likely to be transferred to Federal Investigation Agency (FIA). Zardari’s fake bank accounts case is also expected to be ineffective due to the new amendment. Several people including Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) president Shehbaz Sharif and his son, Hamza Shahbaz, along with Khawaja Saad Rafique, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Abdul Aleem Khan and Sibtain Khan will get benefit from the new ordinance. Meanwhile, former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Yousaf Raza Gillani will also get relief from this new ordinance. The inquiries of Peshawar Metro, Malam Jabba and Helicopter cases in the NAB will be stopped. Former principal secretary to PM Fawad Hassan Fawad, former Development Authority (LDA) director general Ahad Khan Cheema, senior bureaucrat Waseem Ajmal and other important bureaucrats will also cash in on the NAB Amendment Ordinance 2019. Due to the new amendment, accountability courts are bound to lose reign on huge corruption cases against prominent politicians and members of the bureaucracy. Mega corruption cases like the Saaf Paani Scandal, Ashiyana Housing Scheme Scandal, Paragon Housing reference, Parkview society case and Chiniot corruption case have also been disclosed to be on a long list of high-priority cases that the bureau would not be allowed to pursue further. The cases will now be distributed among and be dealt with by the office of the FIA, excise, customs and anti-smuggling courts, sources claimed further. The Ministry of Law has issued a notification on Saturday after the approval of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Amendment Ordinance 2019. Earlier, the NAB Amendment Ordinance 2019 has been challenged at Karachi Registry of the Supreme Court. A citizen Mehmood Akhtar Naqvi has filed a petition at Karachi Registry of the SC challenging the NAB Amendment Ordinance, 2019, promulgated by the PTI-led government through a presidential ordinance on Friday. The petitioner has made the federal government, the Ministry of Law secretary, the Cabinet Division secretaries, Ministry of Interior, Establishment Division, the NAB chairman, the NAB Director General Headquarters and others as party in the case. The petitioner said, “All citizens are equal in the constitution of Pakistan, the amended ordinance is violation of the constitution and the fundamental rights of citizens.” The application pleaded with the apex court to immediately order suspending the National Accountability (Amendment) Ordinance, 2019, while claiming that the amendment was against Article 25 of the Constitution, and an attempt to protect the corruption of ministers and government officials.