ISLAMABAD: The government and opposition parties will discuss on Monday amendments to the National Accountability (NAB) laws and the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) action plan.
The two sides will deliberate and arrive at a consensus on the powers of the anti-corruption watchdog, whose performance has been assailed by the Supreme Court and criticised by opposition parties.
The discussions will be held by a 24-member parliamentary committee, headed by Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, at the Parliament House. The committee is supposed to take up nine drafts of legislation, mostly related to the FATF framework and the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award.
The federal government has prepared a draft law but has reportedly withdrawn the demand for extension of the tenures of NAB chairman, deputy chairman, and prosecutor general.
READ MORE: NAB should be shut down, end political interference: Bilawal
The draft bill, named NAB Second Amendment Act, 2020, has been handed over to opposition by the parliamentary committee. The proposed laws will be implemented only on government employees not on public officer holders involved in irregularities.
Under the new law, the trial process will be shifted to criminal courts from the accountability courts. The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) will ascertain the income sources and assets of the public officer bearers.
The newly proposed laws also amend the definition of the misuse of power by the public office-bearers as misuse of authority only on the basis of solid evidence. It has also recommended to bound a court to provide complete documents and other related records along with reference filed against an accused person.
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