Govt passes 2nd NAB amendment bill in Senate

ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – The government on Thursday passed the second amendment bill in the National Accountability Ordinance 1999 from the Senate. PTI strongly protested when the bill was presented, the opposition members tore the copies of the NAB amendment bill and Walked out of the house.
Minister of State for Law Malik Shahadat Awan presented NAB second amendment bill and said that the NAB amendment bill has to be approved today, this bill is in the public interest, that’s why the amendments have been brought.
According to the bill, the offence of corruption and corrupt practices as per the National Accountability Ordinance (NAO), 1999, will be tied to the value of Rs500m.
The bill also strips the president of his authority to appoint judges of accountability courts in consultation with high court chief justices.
“A judge shall be appointed by the federal government after consultation with the chief justice of the high court concerned,” the bill stated. As per the bill, the service tenure of Prosecutor General NAB can be extended by 3 years.PTI senators, along with other opposition members, stage a walkout after the National Accountability Act 1999 (NAB) amendment bill passes from the upper house.
PTI senator Shibli Faraz said that the government should just empty jails, as passing this bill is similar. Why cannot NAB investigate cases under Rs500 million? the PTI leaderquestioned. The government has disarmed NAB, the National Assembly has become a rubber stamp, Shibli added.
Protesting against the presentation of the bill, the opposition surrounded the chair of the Senate and also tore copies of the bill. Senator Shibli Faraz said that this legislation is being enacted to end the process of accountability, in this bill, those who have committed corruption under 50 crores should be acquitted, it is being given immunity to those who are sitting in the cabinet.-Agencies