ISLAMABAD: Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Babar Awan’s maneuvers to mange the accountability courts through amendment in the NAB Ordinance, and acquire the NAB chairman’s powers to transfer cases from one court to another, have failed, as the government decided to withdraw the controversial law after the Supreme Court objected to the procedure adopted in the exercise.
Attorney General Anwarul Haq had told the apex court on Thursday that the government had decided to withdraw the ordinance. The amendment had allowed the law minister to acquire powers of the NAB chairman to transfer NAB cases from one accountability court to another.
Previously, Section 16A of the NAB Ordinance only authorised the NAB chief do so. However, these powers were later transferred to the Law Ministry in the amended ordinance promulgated on September 16, 2010. Per a well-informed source, the government decided to withdraw the ordinance as the government’s legal team found its arguments weak and they could not defend it in the court.
Moreover, the source added, the law minister was also comfortable with the new NAB chief Justice (r) Syed Deedar Hussain Shah, who was following his directions. Under the new scenario, Attorney General Anwarul Haq had advised the government to withdraw the ordinance, which was in his view against the NAB Law.
“The government could not defend the matter in court or in the media, therefore, its legal team advised the government to withdraw the ordinance despite resistance from the law secretary, who has been handpicked by Law Minister Babar Awan,” the source added.
