DNA
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Khawaja Saad Rafique on Tuesday said the approval of NAB (Amendment) Ordinance into law to extend the period of physical remand for a suspect from 14 days to 40 days was deplorable.
“This draconian law cannot be supported, therefore, the ordinance should be withdrawn,” he said while reminding that the National Accountability Bureau Ordinance was formulated by a dictator.
He said the ordinance was utilised for shameful political purposes and many innocent people fell victim to it.
The NAB Ordinance has been amended, under which the period of remanding accused in the NAB cases has been extended from 14 days to 40 days.
Acting President Yusuf Raza Gilani Monday signed two new ordinances, NAB (Amendment) Ordinance 2024 and the Elections Act (Amendment) Ordinance 2024. He signed the ordinances on the advice of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, as President Asif Zardari is currently in Dubai.
The promulgation came after federal cabinet’s approval of the amendments to the ordinances. Under the amended NAB law, the sentence duration for an officer, convicted for framing cases based on ill will, has been reduced to two years from five years.
After the promulgation of the Elections Act (Amendment) Ordinance 2024, the election tribunals will have retired judges as its members, besides the serving jurists.
