National Assembly approves amendments to NAB law

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly (NA) Thursday approved the National Accountability (Second Amendment) Bill, 2021, formulating a post-retirement procedure for its chairman.

The bill was presented in the house by Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar for making changes to the National Accountability Ordinance, 1999 (NAO).

Following amendments were made to the ordinance:

• NAB’s deputy chairman will be the acting head of the watchdog when its chairman retires
• If the deputy chairman is absent then any senior officer will be given charge of the top post
• Tax-related matters have been excluded from NAB’s jurisdiction
• Provincial and federal cabinets' decisions for enjoying financial benefits will not be under NAB's ambit
  
• NAB will not probe irregularities in any development scheme or project
• NAB cannot take action over the decision of any regularity institution
• Judges’ appointments in accountability courts will be for a maximum three-year term
• Consultation with the concerned high court chief justice will be mandatory for the removal of an accountability court judge
• Consultation process for appointment of new NAB chairman will start two months prior to the incumbent's retirement
• The consultation process for the appointment of a new NAB chairman will be completed in 40 days
• If the prime minister and the opposition leader fail to agree on any name for the coveted post, the matter will be sent to the parliamentary committee
• The parliamentary committee is bound to finalise the name for the post of NAB chairman in 30 days
• After completing a three-year term, a person cannot not be re-appointed to the post of NAB chairman