NAB legislation through which Opposition demanded NRO be made public: PM Imran Khan

By
Ayaz Akbar Yousafzai
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Prime Minister Imran Khan Photo: Geo.tv/Files

  • PM says PTI govt rejected Opposition parties' repeated demands through 34-point NRO
  • 'Nations should be made aware of Opposition's amendments to NAB legislation'
  • 'The second phase of Opposition's campaign coalition failed'
  • PM advises PTI leaders to unite as "we're waging a jihad right now"
  • Meeting notes Nawaz and Fazal made efforts in favour of Israel

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan said Monday the amendment put forth by the Opposition parties for the National Accountability Bureau's (NAB) legislation — through which they demanded they be given National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) — be made public, sources informed Geo News.

According to sources, the premier, who was chairing a meeting of PTI leaders and spokespeople, underlined that Opposition parties had repeatedly demanded the NRO based on 34 points but that the PTI government rejected it.

The Opposition claimed that they asked the courts for NRO, the PM said, adding that the nation should be made aware of the amendments they wished to incorporate in the NAB legislation.

PM Imran Khan also commented on the Opposition's coalition under the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), saying the second phase of its campaign had failed as well.

"The government rejects the Opposition's demand for an NRO," the sources quoted him as saying. The 34-point NRO "should immediately be brought [before] the public and media".

The sources added that the prime minister — while speaking of the controversy surrounding Israel — reiterated that Pakistan's view on the Middle Eastern country had been clear.

Watch: Shibli Faraz explains Opposition's amendments to NAB clauses in video below

The meeting noted that former premier and PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, as well as PDM and JUI-F chief, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, had made efforts to recognise Israel. The PM vowed to unmask both of them at every forum, as per the sources.

The meeting also agreed that Fazlur Rehman must surrender the assets he has allegedly accumulated to NAB, the sources mentioned.

PM Imran Khan highlighted that no one was above the law and advised PTI leaders to unite as "we're waging a jihad right now", the sources said.

"We should not go on the back foot as we're facing a propaganda from the 'mafia'," the premier was quoted as saying.

Amendments to 34 of 38 clauses

In this regard, Information and Broadcasting Minister Senator Shibli Faraz said the people should know the background of the conversation surrounding the NRO, which the Opposition claim they did not ask for and that they assert cannot be awarded by the prime minister.

During the debates on the bill pertaining to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), Faraz said he was in the committee as was the Opposition leadership.

"As the meeting commenced, they inquired about the NAB bill," the minister said while addressing a press conference here in Islamabad. To which, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi — who was heading the debate — said it could be discussed later and the Opposition leaders consequently walked out, only to return half an hour later.

Of the 38 clauses in the NAB bill, the Opposition submitted amendments to 34.

Their first suggested revision was for the NAB law to be implemented on cases starting in 1999, Faraz explained, adding that the real beneficiaries would have been those associated with the Chaudhry Sugar Mills cases. It would also have legalised their illicit assets created up to that year, he added.

The minister stated that according to the Opposition leaders, there would be no violation of the NAB law if the corruption was under Rs1 billion and, therefore, the anti-graft watchdog would not initiate any action.

The Opposition leaders also called for the money-laundering clause to be removed as a crime, he said, adding that its beneficiaries would have been the assets cases against PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif, PPP Co-Chairperson Asif Zardari, and Faryal Talpur.

They also suggested an amendment under which the NAB would not investigate corruption cases before 2015, he added, noting that the PPP and the PML-N would get "NRO Plus through that if accepted".

Demand to shorten disqualification period to 5 years

"The fourth clause was about 'benami', for which the Opposition requested the names of the wife and children be removed, while the eighth amendment demanded no disqualification to be brought into effect unless ordered by the Supreme Court," Faraz explained.

"This means that they can continue the trial for 10-20 years but not disqualify a leader until a decision was made.

"In some cases, the disqualification is for life and, in others, it is for 10 years; however, they wanted that period to be shortened to five years," he added.

The minister stressed that the Opposition parties knew they could not protect their theft as long as Imran Khan is the prime minister. "If they wish to hold rallies, they can go ahead, but they must take into account people's health of the people.

"The coronavirus [cases] have risen by a lot," Faraz added.