LAHORE: Following the Supreme Court’s (SC) ruling, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) is likely to revive proceedings against PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif and former prime minister Shehbaz Sharif, according to sources cited by ARY News.
The Ramzan sugar mill case against former prime minister Shehbaz Sharif and the plot allotment case against PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif are both likely to be reopened by the NAB, according Pakistani sources.
NAB likely to reopen cases against Nawaz, Shehbaz after SC verdict
According to sources, the NAB would also reopen the cases against other political heavyweights and members of the bureaucracy, including Rana Mashhood and former VC Mujahid Kamran of the Punjab University.
It is also anticipated that the misuse of power case against the former speaker of the Punjab parliament Sabtain Khan and the Paragon Housing Society case against former federal ministers Khawaja Saad Rafiq and Salman Rafiq may also reopen.
After the Supreme Court invalidated some of the National Accountability Ordinance (NAO) modifications made last year, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) earlier sent references against politicians to accountability courts.
It is important to note that the Supreme Court ordered the reinstatement of corruption cases against public officials after the previous coalition government’s revisions to the nation’s accountability laws were partially overturned.
The top court granted Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Imran Khan’s plea to challenge changes made to the nation’s accountability legislation by a majority vote of 2-1.
Imran’s appeal was deemed viable by former CJP Bandial and Justice Ahsan, but Justice Shah disagreed with the decision.
The references against some of the nation’s political heavyweights will once more reach the accountability courts following the ruling.
These cases include the Toshakhana reference against Nawaz Sharif, co-chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party, Asif Ali Zardari, and Yousuf Raza Gilani, as well as the LNG reference against Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, the rental power reference against Raja Pervez Ashraf, and the assets beyond means case against former finance minister Ishaq Dar.
The National Accountability (Second Amendment) Act 2022 amended the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) ordinance, which was challenged in court by the previous premier in June 2022.
NAB legislation modification
According to the NAB (Second Amendment) Bill 2021, the deputy chairman of the NAB, who will be chosen by the federal government, will take over as acting chairman of the bureau after the chairman’s term is up.
The NAB chairman’s four-year term has also been shortened by the measure. NAB won’t be allowed to take action on federal, provincial, or local tax issues after the law is approved.
Additionally, it has established a three-year term for the accountability court justices. The NAB is required by the proposed law to make sure that there is evidence against an accused person available before the accused person is arrested.
