Attorney general’s call for NAB law tweak

ISLAMABAD: The office of the attorney general has requested the government to review its position on National Accountability Bureau (NAB) law pertaining to voluntarily return of illegal money.

A three-member bench headed by Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed heard the case for the suo motu notice against the powers relating to voluntary return of ill-gotten money.

Additional Attorney General Amir Rehman requested review of government’s position on the matter saying that the former attorney general had declared voluntary return of money as unconstitutional but the stance of the current attorney general is different.

Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed inquired whether it was the government or the attorney general whose stance had changed. He further said that the court would ask the attorney general after Eid.

He said that the attorney general will have to satisfy the court through arguments as the Supreme Court had interpreted its legal position on this point in the case against Asfandyar Wali.

Justice Azmat Saeed further observed that the executive could not use powers of the judiciary. He said what happened in the past happened and the court will see now what is to be done next and that it is the discretion of the court whether to release or hold the suspect.

Further hearing of the case has been adjourned until after Eid.