ISLAMABAD – The Supreme Court of Pakistan has summoned records from 1999 toJune 2022 from the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on a petition filedby ousted premier Imran Khan.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan challenged amendments tothe NAB Ordinance in the apex court.

Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial summoned the records asthree-member bench, including Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Syed MansoorAli Shah, heard the plea that called the new act a violation of fundamentalrights.

PTI counsel Khawaja Haris argued that the tweaks in the NationalAccountability Bureau (NAB) Ordinance have made the definition of‘benamidar’ complex.

The top judge directed NAB to submit details of all the references filed sofar along with the investigations completed ever since the amendments wereintroduced.

CJP Bandial mentioned that there are several mafias in the country,however, he refrain to name any person. He observed that there were someflaws in the accountability laws, while some amendments were of a veryserious nature, stressing that the court has to create balance.

During the hearing, Justice Mansoor Ali Shah asked for any judicialprecedent where the court has reinstated a former law on the petition of acitizen.

How can the judiciary dissolve the law approved by lawmakers on thepetition of the citizen? He asked, maintaining that amendment is possibleif the law conflicted with fundamental rights.

Former PM Imran Khan, who earlier moved court, claimed that the NAB lawtweaks were made to benefit influential persons and legitimise ‘corruption’.