The Supreme Court has ordered that all cases should be rescheduled in NAB courts and accountability courts. The Supreme Court struck down nine out of ten clauses of the NAB amendments, ruling that they were unconstitutional and had affected public interest rights. As a result of the verdict, all cases that had been closed under the amendments have been reinstated.
Sure, here are the highlights from the Supreme Court’s verdict on the NAB amendments in Pakistan:
- The court declared nine out of ten clauses of the NAB amendments null and void.
- The amendments had reduced the term of the NAB chairman and prosecutor general to three years, limited NAB’s jurisdiction to cases involving over Rs500 million, and transferred all pending inquiries, investigations, and trials to the relevant authorities.
- The court ruled that the amendments had affected public interest rights and that they were unconstitutional.
- As a result of the verdict, all cases that had been closed when the threshold was less than 50 crores have been reinstated.
- The Supreme Court has ordered that all cases should be rescheduled in NAB courts and accountability courts.
The verdict is a major victory for former Prime Minister Imran Khan, who had challenged the amendments in the Supreme Court. The verdict is also likely to have a significant impact on the fight against corruption in Pakistan.
Here are some of the key reasons why the Supreme Court struck down the NAB amendments:
- The amendments were passed by the National Assembly without the required two-thirds majority.
- The amendments were retrospective in nature, which means that they applied to cases that were already pending before the courts.
- The amendments violated the fundamental rights of citizens, including the right to fair trial and the right to property.
The Supreme Court’s verdict is a significant setback for the government of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The government had argued that the amendments were necessary to reform the NAB and to make it more accountable. However, the Supreme Court has ruled that the amendments were unconstitutional and that they have no legal effect.
The verdict is also a major victory for the anti-corruption movement in Pakistan. The movement has been campaigning against the NAB for years, alleging that it is used by the government to target its political opponents. The Supreme Court’s verdict has given a boost to the movement and has raised hopes that the fight against corruption will be taken more seriously in the future.
It remains to be seen how the government will respond to the Supreme Court’s verdict. The government could challenge the verdict in a higher court, or it could try to implement the verdict despite its opposition. The government’s response will be closely watched by the anti-corruption movement and by the public at large.
Level-playing field not provided to all political events: Bilawal