Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto said on Thursday that an extension of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chief’s term is not only ‘illegal’ but has been done with ‘malicious intent’.
“[The] ‘selected’ government wants to continue victimization of opposition while ensuring the PM, his family, government and cronies continue to be immune from accountability, especially post Pandora Papers,” the PPP chief said on Twitter. “Extension of NAB chairman’s term is not only illegal but has malicious intent. Selected government wants to continue victimization of opposition while ensuring the PM, his family, government and cronies continue to be immune from accountability. especially post #PandoraPapers.”
A day earlier, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-led federal government gave certain exemptions to public office-holders in the amended National Accountability Ordinance (NAO) 2021, promulgated by President Arif Alvi. As per the Ordinance, Justice (r) Javed Iqbal will remain in his seat till the appointment of a new chief of the NAB. It further stated that Iqbal could also be chosen as a candidate for the new NAB chairman slot.
Rejecting the NAB Ordinance 2021, PPP Vice President Senator Sherry Rehman said, “The PTI government has a clear ulterior motive behind this ordinance, issued with obvious malafide intent, which we will reject in Senate. They are hell bent on changing the entire law to save one person so that their own scandals remain hidden. We will oppose this with full force”.
“Once again, the PTI government disrespected the parliament by issuing an Ordinance which is in clear violation of the Constitution, when in fact they should have consulted the House on this serious matter. When the NAB law clearly stated that in order to give an extension to the chairman, a consultation with the leader of the opposition in National Assembly is required then why did they use this convoluted route to go against the law?” she questioned. Rehman said, “PPP has worked hard for years to establish unity and consensus when we were in office, whereas PTI government keeps pushing the boundaries of authoritarianism and undoing our hard work. The irony is not lost on anyone that on one hand the PM promises a ‘corruption-free Pakistan’ while on the other hand, he is no longer complying with the constitution.”
“The whole narrative constructed of reform is disingenuous and designed to obscure the fact that reforms can never be person specific. Their refusal to comply with constitutional norms really begs the question – has just and fair governance for the will of the people ever been on PTI’s mind?” she concluded.
