Imran Khan challenges National Accountability Bureau ordinance in Pak's top court

Islamabad [Pakistan], June 25 (ANI): Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Saturday approached the country's top court to challenge the Shehbaz Sharif-led coalition government's recent amendments to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Ordinance, contending that they will "virtually eliminate any white-collar crime committed by a public office holder".

The Amendment was criticised by Imran and his party.

"They should be put in jail for their shamelessness. Nobody can pass such laws shamelessly -- as this government did," he said, Geo News had reported.

Imran Khan had explained how the leaders of the two big political parties, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) would be "saved" after the changes. He said the government amended section 14 of the law, which now states that a person will only be held accountable for the "money left in the fake accounts (when a person is arrested)".

"If I am a public office holder earning an income of Rs 50, then I will have to explain why I have assets worth Rs 100 and where did I get the extra Rs 50 from. But now, they have reversed the role and the NAB will have to explain how did a public office holder get extra assets," he said.

Khan said after the NAB law amendments, the watchdog will have to prove whether a person accumulated wealth illicitly -- as the government has shifted the burden from the person to the watchdog, reported Geo News.

The second change, Khan said was made to the assets beyond means -- section 9 -- of the NAB law, which will provide relief to "major government leaders".

The PTI chairman had said under the current tax laws, a person has to provide the trail of his money as the onus lies on them, not the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR).

The bill, along with the one on election reforms, was passed by the National Assembly and Senate last month. After its approval from both houses, the president's assent was required for it to become law, Dawn newspaper reported. (ANI)

Source: WORLD