Federal Minister of Law and Justice Dr Farogh Nasim on Thursday asserted that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) should not be made a toothless institution, adding that the plea-bargain provision of the anti-graft body should remain but it ought not to be misused.
In the past, the country’s top accountability watchdog has been charged with giving a clean chit to bureaucrats by agreeing to plea bargains. A case pertaining to an amendment in this provision is also pending in the Supreme Court.
According to Section 25 of National Accountability Ordinance (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.
Nasim was quite vocal that Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) during their tenures did not amend any NAB laws, but now, they are causing quite an uproar on its investigation process.
Talking to a private media outlet, he said that “better amendments” would be introduced in the laws governing NAB.
Responding to a question, the federal minister rejected the presence of any National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) in the country. However, he added that the 18th Amendment could be improved.
He denied any role of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government in the joint investigation team probing the money laundering case, whereas, he claimed that it was imperative to extend the period of the military courts.
