President Arif Alvi promulgates National Accountability amendment ordinance 2021

ISLAMABAD: President Arif Alvi has promulgated National Accountability second amendment ordinance 2021, giving powers to his office to establish as many accountability courts, and appoint judges, ARY NEWS reported.

According to the contents of the national accountability ordinance available with the ARY NEWS, the president could establish as many accountability courts as he desires besides also appointing judges in them for a period of three years with the consultation of the respective judges of the high courts.

The president, as per the amendment ordinance, will appoint chairman NAB after consultation with the prime minister and opposition leader and in case of disagreement, the matter will be sent to a 12-member parliamentary body having equal representation from treasury and opposition for a consensus.

The new chairman will be appointed for a tenure of four years and the outgoing chairman will continue to serve unless a new chairman is appointed. The new changes included the reappointment of the chairman through the same appointment process for another four years.

The chairman NAB could be removed on a similar pattern used to remove an apex court judge and the accountability watchdog’s head will send his resignation to the president.

The amendment also allowed additional session judges to be elevated as the accountability court judges while the trial court will be responsible for granting bail to the suspect as per the NAB ordinance.