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Supreme Court seeks record of beneficiaries of NAB law in PTI govt

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  • Govt counsel says amendments in line with previous ones.
  • Says SC should not confine itself only to 386 cases and references.
  • Bringing new amendments to NAB law cannot have a retrospective effect, says SC judge.

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Wednesday sought the record of beneficiaries of NAB ordinances promulgated during the tenure of Imran Khan from the National Accountability Bureau.

A three-member bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice Umer Ata Bandial and comprising Justice Ijazul Ahsen and Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, heard the petition of former prime minister and Chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan, challenging the amendments made by the coalition government to the National Accountability Ordinance (NAO) 1999.

Makhdom Ali Khan, counsel for the federal government, while advancing his arguments, submitted before the court that the present amendments made to the National Accountability Ordinance of 1999 were in continuation of the previous amendments made to the law.

He submitted that the court should not confine itself only to the 386 cases and references that were sent back by the accountability court after amendments were made to the NAO 1999 by the present government. Makhdom Ali Khan, in response to Justice Ijazul Ahsen’s query the other day, said that since five NAB ordinances were promulgated during the three-and-a-half-year government, the court could have also asked how many references were sent back and how many accused were acquitted through these ordinances and who benefited from it. “Then you should tell us what questions we should pose to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), and we will note them down,” Chief Justice Umer Ata Bandial told the learned counsel for the federal government.

The counsel replied that the court should ask the NAB how many references were sent back by the accountability courts through the ordinances promulgated by the PTI government.

Similarly, the counsel submitted that the court should also ask the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) how many people got acquitted through the PTI ordinances and how many applications for acquittal were returned by the trial courts.

At the outset of the hearing, Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah observed that even if the anti-graft body law was abolished, other laws could tackle the crimes. The judge said that it was incorrect to say that after being acquitted in the NAB cases and becoming clean, one could go home easily.

“This impression is incorrect that by abolishing the NAB, the grip of the law will also be reduced,” Justice Mansoor Ali Shah said.

Justice Ijazul Ahsen said that it was the stance of the petitioner that the standard of establishing the crime has been changed in NAB cases through the amendments made to the National Accountability Ordinance (NAO) 1999.

This is also an important question after being convicted in NAB cases; how could the new amendments be applied with retrospective effect?

“Bringing new amendments to the NAB law could not have a retrospective effect,” Justice Ahsen remarked, adding that it was very strange that the new amendments to the NAB law have such great amnesty.

“I also know that there are other laws besides the NAB laws, but after all, if an accountability court acquits an accused of an offence, he will go home,” the judge remarked.

Meanwhile, the court adjourned the hearing for today (Thursday). 

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Fazlur Rehman wants new elections to be held.

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Speaking to a crowd in Karachi, Maulana Fazlur Rehman claimed that meetings were “sold.” “President House and the Sindh Assembly were also sold,” he continued.

The head of JUI-F insisted on holding fresh elections right away in order to preserve the integrity of the democratic process.

He went on, “The results of the most recent elections are unacceptable and they were rigged.” In order to guarantee that the people’s opinion is heard and their mandate is honored, the JUI-chief called for new elections.

Additionally, Maulana Fazlur Rehman criticized the federal government’s foreign policy, including its position on Israel and Palestine. He declared, “We are being punished for standing with Palestine and against Israel.”

Speaking before a public assembly in Karachi, Maulana Fazlur Rehman asserted that gatherings were “sold”. He added, “Sindh Assembly and President House were sold.”

In order to safeguard the democratic process, the chairman of JUI-F asked that new elections be held immediately.

“It’s unacceptable that the results of the recent elections were rigged,” he stated. The JUI-chief demanded fresh elections in order to give the people’s voice a chance to be heard and their mandate to be respected.

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In the Toshakhana case, the PTI founder contests the NAB notification.

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The Islamabad High Court (IHC) was asked to set aside the NAB notice in a plea submitted by Imran Khan’s representatives, Salman Safdar, Usman Riaz, and Khalid Yousaf, according to the information.

Regarding the Toshakhana issue, NAB Rawalpindi called the PTI founder, who is detained, and his spouse, Bushra Bibi, on April 16.

Bushra Bibi, the former first lady of Pakistan, and Imran Khan, the founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), were the subject of a new investigation by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) yesterday.

In a letter to the deputy superintendent of Adiala Jail and call-up notices to Imran and Bushra, the anti-graft body also asked for their attendance during the research.

Case of Toshakhana
In the Toshakhana case, an Accountability Court (AC) on January 31 imposed a 14-year prison sentence on the founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and his spouse, Bushra Bibi.

AC Judge Muhammad Bashir delivered the decision. For ten years, the founder of PTI and his spouse were likewise prohibited from holding any public office.

A Rs. 787 million fine was also imposed by the judge.

Prior to this, in connection with the cipher case, Khan and his foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi received 10-year prison sentences under the Official Secrets Act.

In a case concerning their marriage during the latter’s Iddat period, they were each given seven years in prison one day later.

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US Ambassador Donald Blome praises Maryam’s portrayal of the Chief Minister of Punjab.

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According to information, Maryam Nawaz was congratulated by the US envoy on being the first female Chief Minister of Punjab during their meeting.

America’s goal to deepen economic relations with Pakistan, especially in the areas of manufacturing, IT, and agriculture, was conveyed by Ambassador Bloom. Maryam’s people-oriented efforts and initiatives were commended by him, who called them “commendable”.

The ambassador received assurances from Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz that Punjab will offer a safe haven for US investment. She emphasised that a stable administration is essential to guiding Pakistan out of its economic crisis and welcomed US engagement in a number of areas.

The Chief Minister also emphasised how her government’s economic initiatives had reduced inflation.

That Maryam Nawaz and Donald Bloome are meeting for the second time is worth mentioning. It was before to her election as Punjab’s Chief Minister that the first meeting was held.

At Maryam Nawaz’s home in Murree, Senior Vice President of the Pakistan Muslim League-N, Donald Blome, the US Ambassador to Pakistan, had a meeting.

They talked on the value of cooperation in a number of sectors, including as commerce, the economy, security, peace, and regional stability, according to the details.

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