Imran Khan calls NAB amendments 'unconstitutional'

Former Prime Minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) foudning leader Imran Khan has condemned the recent amendments to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) laws, calling them unconstitutional and a path to destruction.

Speaking from Adiala Jail, where he is being held, he accused the country’s elite of pardoning their own crimes through these amendments while asking the public to make sacrifices.

“These NAB amendments are a disaster and unconstitutional. The elite have forgiven themselves billions of rupees in corruption cases and are now telling the nation to make sacrifices,” said Khan.

Claiming that the amendments allowed powerful figures to escape justice, he accused the ruling class of benefiting from legislation designed to protect them from accountability.

He also noted that, under his government, the NAB had recovered Rs480 billion compared to the Rs290 billion accumulated from 1999 to 2017.

Imran Khan criticised the current performance of the NAB, pointing out that in the last year, it had only recovered Rs15 million.

He contrasted this with the Rs1,100 billion he claimed the institution was poised to collect under his administration before the amendments were introduced.

The PTI leader also highlighted the plight of prisoners in Adiala Jail, mentioning that many remain incarcerated because they cannot afford bail or fines as low as Rs50,000.

"While the elite are pardoning themselves, hundreds of inmates here remain jailed over minor financial penalties,” he added.

He reiterated that the NAB amendments had effectively granted immunity to the powerful, noting that laws should apply equally to everyone.

He claimed that former army chiefs General Musharraf and General (retired) Bajwa had previously given relief to politicians like Asif Ali Zardari and the Sharif family, halting action on corruption cases under their tenure.

The PTI leader also called for the NAB to become an independent institution, free from political interference, and expressed his desire for accountability within the bureau itself.

He suggested that the Supreme Judicial Council should oversee the institution to ensure it operates independently.

Addressing the current leadership, he responded to the Army Chief's recent statement about reducing hatred in the country.

saying that the country's establishment should be the ones to take the first step towards easing tensions.

He also condemned the treatment of his wife, Bushra Bibi, who has been imprisoned for seven months.

“What is her crime?” he asked, criticising the authorities for targeting his family.

Looking ahead to a planned PTI rally on September 8, Imran Khan urged his supporters to come out in full force, calling it a fight for true freedom.

"This is a battle for real freedom, and freedom comes from justice. I urge the entire nation to stand with us on September 8," he said.

He also addressed concerns about his own future, insisting that he would not leave Pakistan, unlike many members of the country's elite, who he claims have moved their wealth abroad.

“My life is in this country. I won’t run away,” he vowed.