Tag: NAB laws

  • Who leaked Khan’s image from Supreme Court?

    Who leaked Khan’s image from Supreme Court?

    The Supreme Court (SC) has started an investigation after Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) released an image of former Prime Minister Imran Khan from today’s hearing in the National Accountability Bruea (NAB) amendments case.

    The picture appears to have been snapped during today’s hearing when the former Prime Minister appeared before SC via video link in the case related to changes in NAB laws.

    The bench comprises Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa, Justice Aminuddin Khan, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail, Justice Athar Minallah, and Justice Hasan Azhar Rizvi.

    Imran Khan is currently in Adiala jail on multiple sentences.

    The photo is the first image taken after Imran’s arrest from Zaman Park in Toshakhana reference last year.

    The image released by PTI showed that Imran Khan is sitting on the chair wearing a blue shirt with the sleeves folded.

  • Supreme Court allows Khan to attend hearings via video link

    Supreme Court allows Khan to attend hearings via video link

    The Supreme Court (SC) has allowed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder chairman Imran Khan to attend hearings in the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) amendments case through a video link.

    On September 15, 2023, while considering a petition filed by Imran Khan, the apex court invalidated amendments made to NAB laws.

    A five-member bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Qazi Faez Isa, comprising Justice Amin-Ud-Din Khan, Justice Jamal Mandokhail, Justice Athar Minallah, and Justice Hassan Azhar, heard the government’s pleas challenging the NAB amendments verdict.

    The NAB prosecutor general said at the start of the hearing that the Bureau will support the government’s argument in this case.

    In response to this, Justice Athar Minallah said that Imran Khan wants to attend this case. “How can a respondent be barred from attending court proceedings?” he added.

    Justice Minallah further said, this is a matter of basic fundamental rights. 

  • Supreme Court orders restoration of corruption cases against politicians

    Supreme Court orders restoration of corruption cases against politicians

    The Supreme Court (SC) on Friday struck down recent amendments made to the National Accountability Ordinance (NAO), 1999, during the tenure of the previous Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM)-led government. A three-member SC bench headed by outgoing Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial, and comprising of Justice Mansoor Ali Shah and Justice Ijazul Ahsan, conducted 53 hearings on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s petition against the changes made to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Ordinance under the National Accountability (Second Amendment) Act 2022.

    Today’s 2-1 majority verdict has resulted in the restoration of corruption cases against public office holders, which were closed down following the NAB amendments. The ruling specifically reinstated the NAB clause pertaining to the Service of Pakistan.

    In June 2022, former prime minister and PTI Chairman Imran Khan approached the top court to challenge the amendments to the NAB laws, contending that they will “virtually eliminate any white-collar crime committed by a public office holder”.

    On September 5, the SC reserved its verdict in the case. “My retirement is near, [we] will give a decision before retirement. We will soon announce a short and sweet verdict of the case,” said CJ Bandial.

    According to today’s SC verdict, the petition by PTI Chairman against NAB amendments was declared admissible by the majority decision, restoring all closed inquiries filed with the anti-corruption body. The top court has ordered restoring all graft cases worth less than Rs500 million that were closed down after the amendments.

    According to The Express Tribune, former prime minister Shehbaz Sharif was a major beneficiary of the amendments. Other beneficiaries include former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, former President Asif Ali Zardari, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Maryam Nawaz, Faryal Talpur, Ishaq Dar, Khawaja Asif, Khawaja Saad Rafiq, Rana Sanaullah, Javed Lateef, Makhdoom Khosro Bakhtiar, Amir Mehmood Kayani, Akram Durani , Saleem Mandiwala, Noor Alam Khan, Nawab Aslam Riasani, Dr Abdul Malik Baloch, Nawab Sanaullah Zehri, Barjees Tahir, Nawab Ali Wasan, Sharjeel Memon, Anwarul Haq Kakar, Liaqat Jatoi, Amir Maqam, Goram Bugti, Jaffer Mandokhel and G-B Governor Syed Mehdi Shah.

  • Govt to amend NAB laws, PM Khan confirms

    Govt to amend NAB laws, PM Khan confirms

    Prime Minister Imran Khan Thursday assured the Pakistani business community in Tashkent that his government was working on changing the National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) laws relating to bureaucrats and businessmen. 

    The prime minister told the entrepreneurs that the present government was committed to removing obstructions in the way of various businesses and industries, including the pharmaceutical industry.

    The premier said the government is facing difficulty in finding quality Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) for government institutions as such experts mostly remain unwilling due to fear of NAB.

    He said that with a change in the NAB law, the government will get quality people from bureaucrats and the business communities. That is why, he said, the NAB law regarding bureaucracy and businessmen is being changed.

    The prime minister’s statement about the amendment in NAB laws comes days after Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin told Geo News in ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath’ that the civil bureaucracy is scared of the anti-graft body and the government is working to change the NAB laws.

    “The NAB law will change in a few weeks. The bureaucracy is not working at all because of the NAB,” said Tarin.

    NAB rejected the Finance Minister’s claim. In a statement, NAB said that bureaucrats should not fear the anti-graft watchdog if they are carrying out their jobs in line with the Constitution, as it slammed the “constant propaganda” against the accountability bureau.

    The aim behind the propaganda is to “discredit NAB and discourage the bureaucracy” from doing its job, the anti-graft body said, adding: “Bureaucracy is the backbone of any country; NAB respects the bureaucracy and values ​​its services.”

    “Corruption is the root of all evils. If the bureaucracy acts in accordance with the Constitution, it does not need to be afraid of NAB,” it added.