KARACHI: The Sindh government submitted on Tuesday a plea to the Sindh High Court (SHC) requesting it to review earlier order regarding the jurisdiction of the National Accountability Bureau Ordinance (NAO) 1999 in the province.
The high court in its earlier ruling had ordered the NAB to continue its investigations against provincial assembly members and bureaucrats.
In an application submitted by the Sindh advocate general, it was stated that the constitution aims to protect the parliamentary processes and the court cannot summon the details of the discussions within the Sindh Assembly. The Article 69 and 127 provide protection to the parliamentary processes, mentioned the application.
Opposition parties, including the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM)–Pakistan, Pakistan Muslim League–Functional (PML-F), and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), jointly filed a petition in SHC challenging the controversial National Accountability Ordinance (NAO) 1999 Repeal Bill, 2017 (now Act) recently enacted by the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP)-led provincial government.
NAB is presently probing into corruption charges against over 60 bureaucrats and politicians, including Law Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar, Member Provincial Assembly (MPA) Faqir Dad Khoso, Sharmila Farooqi, Sharjeel Memon, former Chief Secretary Siddiq Memon, Aijaz Chaudhry, former Board of Revenue Member Shazar Shamoon, Secretary Badar Jameel, Ali Ahmed Lond, Water Board Managing Director Hashim Raza Zaidi, former Education Minister Pir Mazharul Haq, MNA Mir Munawar Talpur, MPA Ali Mardan Shah, former Karachi Administrator Rauf Akhter, and former Inter Board Chairman Anwar Zai.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Sindh High Court (SHC) directed National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to continue its operations in the province.
A hearing of the NAB laws suspension case was conducted at the Sindh High Court in which the three-member full bench directed the chief secretary to assure the court that no one would become a hurdle in NAB’s operations in Sindh.
