Islamabad (HRNW) Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial on Tuesday, while hearing a petition against the amendments in the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) law, said that the matter will ultimately go back to the parliament for discussion.
A three-member bench of the Supreme Court (SC), headed by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial, including Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, was hearing the petition filed by Imran Khan against the NAB amendments.
The apex court has sought a response from the law ministry, NAB and other parties.
The court asked Imran Khan’s counsel Khawaja Haris if the statement of the law minister was accurate when he said the current amendments are in line with past SC verdicts?
In response, Haris stated that the amendments are not in accordance with the decisions of the SC. Rather, he contended they stand in conflict with past verdicts.
The counsel further added that most of the cases probed by the NAB are either related to abuse of power or assets beyond means but after the latest amendments, the anti-graft watchdog will not be able to ‘nab’ anyone for extending undue favor to anyone unless the suspect himself is the beneficiary of the favor.
During the hearing, Justice Mansoor Ali Shah pointed out that the amendments were made by the parliament within its legal function.
He asked whether the counsel believed that the lawmakers should not be allowed to exercise their prerogative.
He asked if the court could restore the death penalty if the parliament abolishes it.
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