KARACHI: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s leadership has moved to the Sindh High Court and challenged Sindh government’s National Accountability Ordinance 1999, Repeal Bill 2017 on Tuesday.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s Sindh President Arif Alvi, member of Provincial Assembly, Khurram Sher Zaman and Ali Zaidi reached the SHC Tuesday and filed a separate petitions challenging Sindh’s law which curbed National Accountability Bureau’s jurisdiction in the province. The petitioners pledged the court to declare the new law annul by suspending it.
Sherzaman told Daily Times that the government taking advantage of the 18th amendment and wants to save their own friends including Sharjeel Memon and Dr Asim who are involved in corruption worth billions. “We do not accept such law that only favors the looters and plunderers”.
Secretary Information Sindh, Muhammad Ilyas Shaikh said that after the accountability of Sharif family and ousted premier Nawaz Sharif, across the border accountability process will move to all corrupt elements.” Therefore, the Sindh government wants to over ride the process, providing legal cover to save the black sheep present in the government machinery”.
“Cancellation of NAB ordinance is violation of constitution whereas Sindh government wants to hide its corruption,” said PTI leaders while talking to media.
Meanwhile, five more petitions were filed in Sindh High Court challenging National Accountability Ordinance 1999 Sindh Repeal Bill, 2017, which repealed NAB Ordinance 1999’s applicability to the departments and autonomous bodies controlled by Sindh government.
The petitions were filed Aurat Foundation, former Administrator Karachi Faheemuzaman and others.
The petitioners have submitted in their petitions that repealing the applicability of NAB Ordinance was an attempt to hide and protect corruption.
They added that the National Accountability Ordinance 1999 Sindh Repeal Bill, 2017 was passed with mala fide intent to protect corruption. The petitioner termed the move as against the basic scheme of the Constitution.
It is to be mentioned here that Muttahida Qaumi Movement and Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F) had already challenged the repealing of the NAB Ordinance in separate petition filed by Dr Farooq Sattar and Nusrat Sehar Abbasi of the Pakistan Muslim League-Functional.
Published in Daily Times, August 16th 2017.
