ISLAMABAD: Following clearance from the lower house, senate also okayed two key bills amidst protest of the opposition here on Friday. The opposition in the upper house encircled Dias of chairman and tore copies of the bills. Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf !PTI) , senator Shibli Faraz, called the nature of the amendments as a serious blow to law-making process and warned the government of severe backlash of what he said ‘fake amendments ” in Elections Act and NAB Ordinance .
Shaukat Tareen argued that the amendments in questions raise serious questions to parliament supermacy .
The house cleared the bills with majority vote .
Law minister , Azam Nazeer Tarar, who moved the bills in the upper house , said the government gives top priority to the overseas Pakistanis who play a crucial role in progress and prosperity of the.country and they will be allocated seats in both houses for their representation . Justifying the changes in NAB Ordinance 1999, the Law minister claimed in his speech in senate that NAB created harassment among burocracy and business community and the proposed changes will address these issues and make NAB a vibrant institution to check corruption in the society .
A day earlier , the National Assembly had approved bill for not using electronic voting machines (EVMs) for voting in the upcoming general elections. Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Ghulam Murtaza Abbasi, had moved the bill for amendments in Elections Act 2017. in the lower house. the national assembly also cleared the bill for not granting right to direct vote to overseas Pakistanis . The Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI) government had approved the bill to grant right to vote to the overseas Pakistanis. the National assembly also approved Accountability (Second Amendment) Bill, 2021, formulating a post-retirement procedure for its chairman.
Law minister, Azam Nazeer Tarar , presented the. Bill in the national assembly for making changes to the National Accountability Ordinance (NAO) 1999.
Following amendments were made in the ordinance:
NAB’s deputy chairman will be the acting head of the watchdog when its chairman retires
If the deputy chairman is absent then any senior officer will be given charge of the top post
Tax-related matters have been excluded from NAB’s jurisdiction
Provincial and federal cabinets’ decisions for enjoying financial benefits will not be under NAB’s ambit
NAB will not probe irregularities in any development scheme or project
NAB cannot take action over the decision of any regularity institution
Judges’ appointments in accountability courts will be for a maximum three-year term consultation with the concerned high court chief justice will be mandatory for the removal of an accountability court judge
Consultation process for appointment of new NAB chairman will start two months prior to the incumbent’s retirement
The consultation process for the appointment of a new NAB chairman will be completed in 40 days
If the prime minister and the opposition leader fail to agree on any name for the coveted post, the matter will be sent to the parliamentary committee
The parliamentary committee is bound to finalise the name for the post of NAB chairman in 30 days.
After completing a 3-year term, a person cannot not be re-appointed to the post of NAB chairman .
After clearance from the parliament , the bills will transform into the law with signing of the president.
