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Amendments to NAB law challenged in SC

RECORDER REPORT

ISLAMABAD: A petition questioning the validity of recent amendments to the National Accountability Bureau's law through a presidential ordinance has been filed with the Supreme Court here on Saturday.

Filed by Syed Zafar Ali Shah, former parliamentary secretary in Nawaz Sharif's government and now chairman of the PML Human Rights Committee, agitates the fundamental rights laid down in the Constitution and says that the recent amendments had exceeded the "lawful legislative authority" of the government and vitiated against the Constitution.

The petition has been entertained by the Registry of the Supreme Court and will now be placed before the Chief Justice for assigning it to a bench when the Court reopens next week.

The petition says that the President was not competent to "promulgate" the Ordinance as he was not bound by the advice of the Chief Executive, a position that was alien to the Constitution and legal system and did not enjoy legislative powers.

He has also questioned the repeal of the Ehtesab Act that was passed by the parliament and assented to by the President and hence could not be thrown out by a presidential ordinance.

The petition accused the administration of "recklessly" using the NAB Ordinance against politicians, public representatives, industrialists, bureaucrats and businessmen.