Some clauses of accountability ordinance contradict Constitution: Rabbani

Clauses violate basic rights provision in Constitution, amendments proposed in Asfandyar Wali case never implemented.

ISLAMABAD: Father of 18^thConstitutional Amendment and veteran politician Senator Raza Rabbani on Wednesday said that the National Accountability Ordinance 1999, contradicted certain provisions of the Constitution and needed immediate amendments.

“Many of its [National Accountability Ordinance] sections contradict the basic rights’ provisions of the Constitution of the country,” said Rabbani, adding that the law needed revision. The senator said that the law under which the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) was established, immediately needs amendments.

“A suspect should be given complete right to his defence,” said the Senator while speaking at a seminar organised by NAB on the ‘Role of media in combating corruption’.

The matter was raised when the senator was confronted by a member of the audience who quoted the Asfandyar Wali case in which the Supreme Court of Pakistan validated the NAB law only after recommending dozens of amendments.

“Those amendments were not made part of the law in successive governments.”

Though NAB Chairman Admiral (R) Fasih Bukhari later clarified that the amendments were made part of the law in 2002.

Responding to a question about loopholes in the proposed accountability bill, Rabbani said that all issues could be dilated upon once the bill becomes an act. However, he excused from commenting further on the bill saying he had not gone through the entire draft.

Rental power plant case

NAB Chairman Admiral (R) Fasih Bukhari told the media that the accountability bureau would contact Prime Minsiter Raja Pervez Ashraf over the rental power plants case again.

NAB has already sent Ashraf a questionaire to which the premier has responded, Bukhari said. “Investigations are underway on his answers. Our job is investigations, courts are there to fix responsibility.”

Talking about the media’s role, the NAB chairman said a free press not only exposes the errors and wrongdoings in the society but is the most effective engine for changing and modelling public perceptions.

Former Supreme Court judge Justice (R) Muhammad Raza Khan said the media was playing a vital role in creating awareness among the public. “Media is a prime mover and can help pinpoint corruption by becoming the whistle blower for NAB, even as it keeps a check on NAB’s performance.”

Former information minister Javed Jabbar suggested that the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) laws too needed some amending of their own. He said there should be an independent ombudsman in every media organisation.

“Corruption unfortunately has become acceptable in Pakistan,” said Jabbar adding that media could not play an affective role in fighting corruption until it mends its ways first.