KARACHI: Amid a walk out staged by the opposition parties, the provincial assembly of Sindh, on Wednesday, approved amended anti-corruption bill 2017 with a majority.
Opposition parties are of the view that the bill was contrary to the Constitution, while the government of Sindh was of the stance that it has the power to do so under article 140-2b and it was not in violation of the Constitution.
Speaking on floor of the Sind Assembly, Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah said that the Sindh Assembly had approved the bill again after the NAB nullifying bill was rejected by the Sindh governor. It was in the power of the Sindh government to bring in an alternative system in place of NAB, he added.
He said a committee would be constituted to appoint a head of Sindh Accountability Commission. It will be consisting of the speaker and opposition members. He made it clear that there would be no role of the government in the affairs of the Accountability Commission.
The CM told the house that NAB had given clean chit in the Tractor scheme but huge embezzlements were proved in the scheme. Responding to a criticism of the opposition, he said opposition cannot use harsh words against the government and the speaker.
It is worth to mention that Law Minister Sindh Zia Lanjar had move a bill “NAB ordinance 1999 Sindh” to repeal NAB ordinance and was approved despite strong protest by the opposition. The repealing of NAB ordinance will withhold powers of taking actions against subordinate institutions and officers of Sindh government, while National Accountability Bureau would be able to take action against federal institutions.
On the other hand, there are certain chances that the governor will not approve the recently passed bill and a cold war can further accelerate.
