SC suspends NAB law amendments on Imran Khan’s plea

The Supreme Court announced its verdict on the NAB amendment case and suspended the NAB amendments. 

A three-judge panel, led by Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Umar Ata Bandial and including Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, delivered the decision the court had reserved on September 5.

On September 9, the government’s attorney, Makhdoom Ali Khan, submitted a written response to a query posed by the Chief Justice of Pakistan in the NAB amendments case. This response spanned five pages and was transmitted via the judicial assistant.

Justice Mansoor Ali Shah had suggested forming a full court to hear the case regarding NAB amendments, citing the issue of the frozen Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) law. However, Chief Justice Bandial opposed this idea, citing his imminent retirement and the lengthy duration the matter had been before the court.

While reserving the verdict on the NAB amendment case on September 5, Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Umar Ata Bandial promised a “concise and swift decision.”

During the hearings, the Chief Justice remarked, “Whether it involves the misuse of state assets for corruption, smuggling, or illegal money transfers, action should be taken. The lack of clarity in the law regarding these offenses is concerning.”

He further noted, “Ensuring the prosperity and security of the public is the state’s responsibility.”

In June 2022, the Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) filed a petition against the NAB amendments, and the Supreme Court conducted 53 hearings on the matter.

These amendments introduced several changes to the National Accountability Ordinance (NAO) 1999, including reducing the terms of the NAB chairman and prosecutor general to three years, limiting NAB’s jurisdiction to cases involving over Rs500 million, and transferring all pending inquiries, investigations, and trials to the relevant authorities.

In his petition, the PTI chief contended that the amendments to the NAB law had been enacted to benefit influential individuals accused of corruption and to legitimize corrupt practices.

It is worth noting that today marks Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial’s final day on the bench before his retirement on September 16.