Accountability law to be amended

Published July 24, 2002

ISLAMABAD, July 23: The Accountability Ordinance, which was earlier amended in the light of Supreme Court’s verdict, is again being amended before its enactment by the parliament, an official of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) said on Tuesday.

The Ordinance is being fine tuned to remove legal hitches resulting in the delay of cases in the accountability courts, the official said.

He said the proposed amendments would be made part of the NAB law through an ordinance before the October elections. After elections, the NAB Ordinance, like all other legal and constitutional amendments, would be placed before the cabinet for its enactment.

The provision of plea bargain, which has been creating a great deal of misperception among the people about the accountability process, would also be reviewed, the official said.

Commenting on the reports about merger of economic crime wing of Federal Investigation Agency and NAB, he said the decision would be taken by the cabinet. However, he said, no final decision had been taken.

Regarding extradition treaties with the United States and the United Kingdom, he said no such agreement had been signed but the countries were keen to extend legal assistance on mutual basis.

He pointed out that Britain in the assets case of former senator Asif Ali Zardari had provided documentary evidence exposing the net of offshore companies and the trail of funds used in the purchase of Rockwood estate.

About the conviction of two former prime ministers and two chief ministers, he said they would be treated as convicts unless they were given relief by the superior courts.

He denied reports about the training of NAB officials by American experts or the Federal Bureau of Investigation and said no expert was invited to train the staff.

The ordinance promulgated last year was challenged by Awami National Party leader Asfandyar Wali and the apex court had upheld the law but directed the government to make some amendments in it.

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