KARACHI: The provincial law officer informed the Sindh High Court (SHC) on Monday that the Sindh government has formed a committee to review the provincial law which repealed the applicability of the National Accountability Ordinance (NAO) 1999, better known as NAB Ordinance, in the province.

A three-judge bench of the SHC, headed by Chief Justice Ahmed Ali M. Shaikh, was hearing a set of petitions filed separately by Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan, Pakistan Muslim League-Functional, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf and others against repeal of the NAB Ordinance.

When the petitions came up for hearing on Monday, Advocate General Barrister Zameer Ghumro informed the judges that the provincial cabinet has formed a committee to review the National Accountability Ordinance 1999 Sindh Repeal Bill, 2017 and it was directed to convene its meetings and submit report within six weeks.

The bench adjourned the hearing till a date to be fixed by the court’s office and directed the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to continue its operation in the province until further orders.

Court directs NAB to continue its operation in province until further orders

The provincial assembly had on July 3 passed the National Accountability Ordinance 1999 Sindh Repeal Bill, 2017 that repealed the applicability of the NAB Ordinance to departments and autonomous bodies controlled by the provincial government.

It had also approved the establishment of a provincial accountability agency that would replace the decades-old Anti-Corruption Establishment.

According to the petitioners, the National Accountability Ordinance 1999 Sindh Repeal Act, 2017 is an attempt by the PPP, the ruling party in the province, to “protect its corruption”.

They claimed that the law was against the basic scheme of the Constitution.

Missing persons’ case

The SHC was informed on Monday that four persons, who have been missing since 2010, were allegedly killed by the detained Lyari gangster Uzair Baloch.

A two-judge bench of the SHC, headed by Justice Naimatullah Phulphoto, was hearing a petition regarding the alleged disappearance of Lala Amin, a head constable of jail police, Ghazi Khan, Sher Afzal and Shiraz Khan from the jurisdiction of the New Town police station in 2010.

A police officer through a report informed the judges that Uzair Baloch, who was currently facing trial before military courts, in his confessional statements before a magistrate and a joint investigation team had confessed to having killed the four due to personal enmity in August 2010.

He also submitted copies of both statements recorded under Section 164 of the CrPC by a magistrate and by the JIT. The bench directed the SSP Central to furnish a report in this regard by Nov 6.

Published in Dawn, October 10th, 2017