LAHORE: Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif on Friday termed the amended National Accountability Bureau (NAB) ordinance an ‘attack’ on the parliament and judiciary.
In a statement, the PML-N president strongly criticized the amended National Accountability Bureau (NAB) ordinance and termed it akin to a “no-confidence motion against the parliament”.
He vowed that the joint opposition would give the government a tough time over the ordinance that now allows the NAB chairman to enjoy another four-year term. “The amendments to the NAB law are unconstitutional and undemocratic,” he added.
Shehbaz Sharif further said that with the 18 major amendments in the “already controversial NAB law”, the government was trying to escape accountability. “This black ordinance is a step towards establishing personal rule through the strangulation of democracy in the country,” he added.
He said that the Opposition would not allow the government to “snatch away” the powers outlined for institutions in the Constitution and would stop all such government measures in consultation with stakeholders.
Meanwhile, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto had also slammed the PTI government after it granted an extension to the NAB chief. He had said that the extension of Javed Iqbal’s term is “not only illegal but has malicious intent.”
“The selected government wants to continue victimisation of Opposition while ensuring the PM, his family, government and cronies continue to be immune from accountability. Especially post #PandoraPapers,” the PPP leader wrote on Twitter.
On Wednesday, President Arif Alvi promulgated the National Accountability (Amendment) Ordinance, 2021, under which NAB Chairman retired Justice Javed Iqbal will continue to serve the post until a new chairman is appointed and will also be eligible to be renamed as chairman.
