NAB to lose power to act against businesses

Law minister says after amendment in law, govt servants making plea bargain would lose job

ISLAMABAD: Law Minister Farogh Naseem on Wednesday confirmed that the government is going to amend the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) laws, adding that after these amendments government servants who make plea bargain with NAB would not be able to continue their jobs.

Addressing a press conference that was also addressed by Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Information Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan and Parliamentary Secretary for Law Maleeka Bukhari, Naseem said NAB should not have the power to intervene in cases of personal conflicts.

“NAB is established to curb mega corruption and it should focus on such cases only,” he said, adding that after the amendments people arrested under NAB laws would be able to get bail from trial courts instead of high courts.

Naseem said as agreed by the federal cabinet a day earlier, NAB laws would also be amended with regard to its powers to take actions against businessmen and companies as the accountability watchdog, according to him, should be stripped of these powers.

“If the tax evading businessman has no links with government, then his case would be looked into by the Federal Investigation Agency and the Federal Board of Revenue, not NAB.” The minister claimed that the prime minister, his cabinet and NAB chairman all agree that NAB laws should be amended.

Naseem said that government has taken affective measures for provision of speedy justice to people and for that the purpose Ministry of Law has drafted various recommendations for amendments in laws.

“The Law Division has drafted various bills including Letter of Administration and Succession Certificate, Women Enforcement Bill, Legal and Justice Authority Bill, Service Tribunal and many other laws.”

The minister said the government has also approved various laws including Financial Supplementary Act 2019, Elections Act 2019 and Finance Act.

He said various laws are implemented through presidential ordinance including the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council Ordinance 2019, Assets Declaration Ordinance, Naya Pakistan Housing and Development Authority Ordinance, National Counter Terrorism Authority Ordinance and others.

He disclosed that cabinet committee for law and justice held 12 meetings in this term and decided over 83 pending cases regarding various bills after consulting the stakeholders. He said for the first time Ministry of Law has put over 844 laws at its website, which can be approached by any citizen.

“The PTI government has appointed 29 judges and 9 special courts and tribunals for speeding up the provision of justice procedure,” he added.

Special Assistant to PM on Information Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan said the people of Pakistan gave mandate to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for a change in status quo as they want to get rid of the issues related to obsolete and rotten legal system.

“The people of Pakistan voted for the PTI to bring revolutionary changes in the prevailing system and time has come to share with the media and the nation how much justice the government has done with this issue in one year,” she said.

Meeting with PM

The minister for law also met Prime Minister Imran Khan, who commended his efforts. “Providing justice to public is the first priority of the government. Swift justice can guarantee resolution of the nation’s issues and can change their lives for better,” the PM noted.