Govt, opposition try to iron out NAB law changes

Both sides trying to build consensus on amendments

ISLAMABAD: The smooth sailing of the amendment bills concerning the tenures of the services in both the lower and upper houses of parliament, the government and the opposition are also inching towards reaching an understanding on changes to the country’s accountability law.

The government and the opposition lawmakers met in the chamber of the National Assembly speaker on Wednesday to discuss the amendments to the National Accountability Ordinance, 1999.

The government was represented in the meeting by Defence Minister Pervez Khattak, Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari, Federal Parliamentary Affairs Minister Azam Swati, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan.

The opposition lawmakers who attended the meeting included PPP’s Naveed Qamar and PML-N Khawaja Asif, Rana Sanaullah, Ayaz Sadiq and Rana Tanveer.

The two sides will meet again on Thursday (today) to reach a consensus on the matter.

The government’s move to amend the National Accountability Ordinance (NAO) 1999 through a presidential decree did not go down well with the opposition parties which called it an attempt by the ruling party to shield its own corrupt leaders from accountability.

The Rahbar Committee, the decision-making panel of all opposition parties, rejected the newly promulgated National Accountability (Amendment) Ordinance, 2019 and demanded that the matter be discussed in parliament.

The government defended the move saying that the new ordinance would ensure nobody is treated unfairly and it would eventually go to parliament as it was only effective for a minimum of four months and a maximum of eight months.

The new ordinance limits the sweeping powers of NAB to act against any individual accused of financial corruption at will. It offers more protection to public office-holders or government officials while at the same time excludes several financial sectors from the purview of NAB.

The premier had ordered government ministers to reach out to the opposition and build a consensus on the amendments.

PML-N leader Rana Tanveer told reporters after the meeting that both his party and the PPP did not want to rush through the matter of the accountability law amendments.

“Both parties [the PML-N and the PPP] have proposed amendments to the law,” he added.

“We are trying to bring a [accountability law] bill into the House that will be much better and passed unanimously.”