Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Political parties present in the parliament could not reach a consensus regarding amendment in the existing National accountability ordinance and rejected the government draft, while some parties demanded accountability of armed forces and judiciary as well under the proposed new law. The parliamentary committee to amend the NAB ordinance 1999 met under the chair of federal law minister Zahid Hamid on Tuesday and attended by members of the parliamentary parties. Sources told Daily Times that the government wanted consensus on its bill prepared in the PPP’s time but opposition parties did not agree on it and said whole NAB law should be changed instead of some cherry-picked clauses.

Sources said that federal government demanded that all anti corruption laws should be uniform but the chairman committee said that it was not possible because provinces take action against corrupt people according to their anti corruption laws. After the meeting, chairman parliamentary committee Zahid Hamid told the media that the NAB law, in its present shape, was discussed and all political parties had given their output. He said their proposals would be considered in the next meeting to be held on January 24.

He said that the anti corruption laws of other countries would be considered as well, while KPK’s ehtsab commission bill would also be considered and copies of it distributed. He was of the view that the PML-N had dratted the comprehensive national accountability commission bill in the period of the PPP government. Meanwhile, the deputy parliamentary leader of PTI Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that the whole structure of NAB needed changing, not just some clauses.