ISLAMABAD, Oct 8: Insaf Welfare Trust chairman Dr Aslam Khaki on Monday requested the Supreme Court to declare as unjust the recently promulgated National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) 2007 for being a corrupt deal that violates the fundamental rights of the people.

“The scenario and political environment in which the ordinance has been promulgated clearly speak about the ‘political deal’ on power sharing and not on national reconciliation,” a five-page petition said.

This is the third such petition filed before the apex court as well as the Lahore High Court seeking adjudication against the legality of the ordinance.

The petitioners said that the ordinance ‘patently and manifestly’ violated Article 25 of the Constitution because it provided for withdrawal of cases only against holders of public offices.

In his petition, Dr Aslam Khaki pleaded that the ordinance was against the fundamental rights of the people as envisaged in Article 2A (Objective Resolution to form part of the Constitution), 4 (right of individual to be dealt with in accordance with the law) and 25 (equality of citizens) besides Article 31 (Islamic way of life).

He pleaded that selective amnesty could never be granted under the law besides the general public, intelligentsia, media and even politicians have raised their concern over the law. The ordinance provides for general amnesty for corrupt politicians and bureaucrats, he contended.