Government proposes amendments to NAB Ordinance: sources

By
Ashraf Malkham
|
Photo: File

ISLAMABAD: Government on Thursday proposed important changes to National Accountability Ordinance (NAO) 1999, sources informed Geo News.

According to the proposed bill, a copy of which is available with Geo News, only federal departments and their employees should fall under the National Accountability Bureau's jurisdiction. 

The anti-corruption watchdog's chairman and director general will be liable to consult the prosecutor general for any arrests, proposes the bill.

Sources further said the bill, if approved, will bar NAB from freezing assets of any under-investigation suspect.  

Earlier this year, in February, the Punjab Assembly expressed concern over the arrest of former Lahore Development Authority Director General (DG) Ahad Cheema. The provincial assembly demanded of the federal government to amend the National Accountability Ordinance 1999 to prohibit the use of "illegal powers".

"Harassing senior officials, insulting them, highlighting their names in media, and doing character assassination on the part of NAB is illegal and unethical," read the resolution passed by the provincial assembly.

The resolution, which was presented by Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah, had urged all institutions including NAB to ensure upholding basic human rights, and ethical values in accordance with the Constitution. It had also asked the federal government to take measures to discuss the issue in the parliament.

The provincial government had also demanded to eliminate the plea bargain clause from the ordinance.