NAB Amendment Ordinance 2024 challenged in IHC

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Amendment Ordinance 2024 has been challenged in the Islamabad High Court.

A citizen, through lawyer Azhar Siddique, has filed a petition against the new ordinance. The cabinet secretary, president, chairman of the Senate, and speaker National Assembly have been made parties to the case.

The petition argues that extending the remand period beyond 14 days is a violation of basic human rights. It also questions why the punishment for an officer making a false case based on malice has been reduced to only 2 years.

Additionally, the petition points out that the ordinance was not even presented in Parliament, calling for its immediate withdrawal. The petitioner demands that the National Accountability Ordinance 2024 be declared against the provisions of the Constitution.

As per the new amendments, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) can detain the individuals accused in cases under the anti-graft watchdog for 40 days after then acting President Yousaf Raza Gilani signed the NAB (Amendment) Ordinance 2024 into law.

The new ordinance extended the period of remanding accused in NAB cases from 14 days to 40 days.

Moreover, the sentence duration for the officer convicted for framing cases based on guilty had been reduced to two years from five years.