Islamabad :
President Dr. Arif Alvi returned the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to the Prime Minister’s Office without signing the National Accountability (Amendment) Bill 2022.
According to a statement issued by the Press Wing of the Presidency, President Dr. Arif Alvi said that in his view, the bill passed by Parliament was of a regressive nature which would paralyze the long arm of the law and promote corruption.
It may be recalled that the day before yesterday, President Dr. Arif Alvi had sent back the Election Amendment Bill after refusing to sign it.
Last month, the National Assembly and the Senate passed the NAB Amendment Bill in addition to this bill. After approval of the bill by both the houses, it only required the consent of the President to become law, but Arif Alvi returned the bills. ۔
The government then passed the Election Act Amendment Bill 2022 and the NAB Ordinance 1999 Amendment Bill by a majority vote in a joint sitting of the Upper House and the Lower House in the Parliament House on June 9.
After the bill was passed in the joint session, it was once again presented to the President for approval. If the President does not pass the bill in 10 days, it will be considered approved. The signed bill has been returned.
He said that he was well aware of the fact that even if the President of Pakistan did not sign the bill, it would become law.
The President said that those who have amassed immense wealth, the bill is a clear message about the corrupt elements that they are not accountable to anyone and can continue their looting without fear and danger about which Pakistanis There are no two opinions among the people.
The President lamented that the weak man would be caught even in petty crimes while the influential corrupt elements would be given free rein to the abominable act of sucking the blood of the nation.
He further said that undermining the accountability process was not only unconstitutional but also against the fundamental rights of the already troubled Pakistani people.
Explaining the reasons for not signing the bill, Arif Alvi said that countries around the world were trying to curb white collar crime.
He said that the black money of political elements, which is obtained from tax evasion, crime and other sources of corruption, leaves no trace that can be traced.
He said that FATF is one such example which has been working for decades to curb money laundering.
The President said that we should also seek guidance from Islamic jurisprudence on such matters.
He referred to an incident of the second caliph Hazrat Umar when he was asked how he got two pieces of cloth for his chador when one piece came in each of them, since Hazrat Umar had that cloth If so, they explained the source.
Dr. Arif Alvi said that this incident sets out two basic principles of accountability. Hazrat Umar (RA) has it. Secondly, it is the responsibility of the accused to provide evidence about the means of obtaining wealth.
The President further clarified that it is a basic principle of justice that the accused is presumed innocent till proven guilty except that the accused has to provide evidence of sources of income, e.g. Where and how did he get the extra piece of clothing, or the property, or the wealth? This is the case when a criminal instrument, for example, finds a gun in the possession of the accused, he has to explain how he got the gun.
He said that the same principle was also present in the NAB Ordinance that it was the responsibility of the prosecution to prove ownership of wealth while proving the source of wealth was the responsibility of the accused.
He further said that acquisition of wealth from unknown sources was a crime in Pakistan but these amendments have weakened the concept and made it substantially ineffective.
The President said that the High Court also reflected the general impression that unfortunately there were flaws in the implementation of the NAB Ordinance.
He said that this law, like other laws, empowers the administration to use it to protect the political interests of powerful elements, as well as the accountability process in Pakistan to a large extent due to personal interests. Ineffective, on the one hand, when the people demanded the return of looted wealth, on the other hand, lengthy court proceedings and ineffective prosecution made it very difficult to expose, prevent and eradicate corruption.
President Dr. Arif Alvi said that in the light of the experience of the last few decades, we should have made amendments in these laws to remove the clear loopholes and make the delivery of justice more effective.
He said that it was not expected that the efforts of previous governments would be thwarted and the accountability process would be incredibly weakened.
The President said that it was unfortunate that instead of improving the infrastructure of the institution, it was tantamount to undermining the accountability process without any alternative system, making the accountability process ineffective and promoting exploitative institutions and systems. Is.
He said that such weak laws cover up the crimes of the corrupt elite in the guise of justice.
The nations that adopt such laws not only exploit the common man but also promote injustice in the society.
The President reiterated that he personally imitates and abides by the Constitution of Pakistan and stressed that we must abide by the injunctions of the Qur’an and Sunnah.
