Lawmakers facing NAB inquiry should detach themselves from amendment process: Fawad
In a tweet today, Chaudhry said that these lawmakers should think that the amendments they propose will not be considered impartial
July 28, 2020
PTI leader and federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry said on Tuesday that those lawmakers, who are being investigated by the National Accountability Burea, should leave the committee constituted to amend the watchdog’s laws.
In a tweet today, Chaudhry said that these lawmakers should think that the amendments they propose will not be considered impartial.
Urging the lawmakers to respect the parliament, the federal minister said that these parliamentarians should separate themselves from the legislative process.
Recently, the government and opposition lawmakers have huddled together to propose amendments to the National Accountability Ordinance (NAO), 1999, with an aim to conform it to human rights, human dignity and the UN charter against corruption.
However, the main outcome of the amendment proposed by the government seeks to extend the tenure of a sitting NAB chairman.
According to a document of the proposed amendments, a copy of which is available with Geo News, "in clause (i) of sub-section (b) of Section 6, the word non-extendable shall be omitted". This section pertains to the appointment of the NAB chairman.
Similarly, the removal of the word "non-extendable" has also been proposed in Sections 7 and 8, which pertain to the appointments of the NAB deputy chairman and the prosecutor general of accountability, respectively.
The opposition has long-accused the anti-graft body of prejudice and selected-targetting to achieve political motives.
