Islamabad: The Supreme Court has said that the court does not want to interfere in the legislation, the constitution and the rule of law have to be established, the court will act very carefully in the case of the application against NAB amendments.
A three-member bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Chief Justice Umar Atta Bandial, comprising Justice Ejazul Hassan and Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, heard the petition against the change in the NAB law.
During the hearing, Imran Khan’s lawyer asked the court for time to submit written arguments.
Chief Justice Umar Atta Bandial remarked that the Supreme Court has been criticizing the NAB law in its decisions, remand for 90 days is not given anywhere, criminal cases are not remanded for more than 14 days.
The Chief Justice further remarked that the court will avoid interfering in political matters, will only examine the point of amendments against fundamental rights, if the amendments are mocked by the process of accountability, the fundamental rights will be violated, often the accused in the amendments. Concessions have also been given.
The Chief Justice said that the evidence of the plea bargainer has been declared inadmissible, there is no prohibition against arrest in the criminal system, arrest is made according to the nature of the crime.
On this occasion, Makhdoom Ali Khan, the lawyer of the federal government, said that the accused are acquitted, but still the stains of the accusations are not washed away from them, the higher judiciary does not uphold the sentences of the NAB court.
The Chief Justice said that the country is going through an extraordinary situation, 150 members of the previous ruling party are boycotting the assembly, PTI was told to go to the assembly and play their role, the members in the assembly should pass legislation for their benefit. It should not be done.
The Chief Justice said that he will fully support all institutions operating under the constitution, the court is not enjoying hearing cases in exceptional circumstances.
Justice Mansoor Ali Shah said that the political climate outside the court keeps changing, should the political climate have an effect inside the court? Shouldn’t the court only be governed by the constitution and the law?
Later, further hearing of the case was adjourned till September 1.
It should be noted that the coalition government led by Muslim League (N) had introduced 27 important amendments in the Accountability Ordinance, which were notified after being passed in a joint session of the Parliament after not getting the approval of the President Arif Alvi.
Chairman PTI Imran Khan filed a petition in the Supreme Court against the said amendments.
The petition sought to strike down the amendments made by the National Accountability (Second Amendment) Act, 2022 as unconstitutional.
In his petition, Imran Khan had claimed that the amendments in the NAB law were made to benefit the influential accused and legalize corruption.
The petition contended that the recent amendments provide an opportunity to quash corruption cases against the President, Prime Minister, Chief Ministers and Ministers and allow convicted government officials to withdraw their sentences.
The petition argued that ‘the amendments in the NAO are tantamount to depriving the citizens of Pakistan of access to the law to effectively question their elected representatives for breach of their duty to the people of Pakistan. can.’
The petition further argued that the word ‘nameless’ has been redefined, making it difficult for the prosecution to prove someone as a fictitious owner of the property.
