ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday granted an extension to the National Accountability Bureau to amend the plea-bargain provision in the National Accountability Ordinance (NAO).
In the past, the country’s top accountability watchdog has been charged with giving a clean chit to bureaucrats by agreeing to plea bargains.
According to Section 25 of NAO, the NAB chairman, with the approval of any accountability court, can order the release of an accused found guilty of corruption after he/she enters into a plea bargain or an agreement by returning the misappropriated money to the bureau.
As the court heard the case, Senator Farooq Naek informed the court that a parliamentary committee is working on an amendment in the provision, however, it requires more time.
Accepting the request, Judge Azmat Saeed extended the deadline, saying judicial measures are important to curb crimes over administrative orders and plea bargains serve the instrument of ‘confessions’.
In November, the apex court had suggested two amendments in the NAO that governs the operations of the watchdog.