ISLAMABAD - Supreme Court of Pakistan gives deadline to PTI government over new NAB ordinance.The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Wednesday gave a 3-month deadline to the government to legislate a new National Accountability Ordinance (NAO).
While hearing a suo-moto over Article 25(A) of the NAB (Amendment) Ordinance, the court directed the govenment to formulate a new ordinence, pointing out that the NAB (Amendment) Ordinance has paralysed the functionality of the accountability watchdog while there were cases pending for even 10 years with the bureau.
“The Supreme Court has [already] restricted the NAB from [using] plea bargain,” he said, adding that until legislation in the parliament the plea bargain power could not be used by the authority.
The top judge further observed that it was responsibility of the parliament to perform amendment in the NAB law.
“If any of the NAB provisions is termed “unconstitutional”, the NAB will not stay functional,” he mentioned.
Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed then gave three months time to government, ordering not prolong the matter and remarked that the top court would itself give ruling in the case upon expiry of three months.
The applicatin was filed in the court against the NAB amendment to immediately order, terming it the violation of Article 25 of the Constitution.