By Ajmal Khan Yousafzai
ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Senator Shibli Faraz on Sunday sharing the proposed amendments submitted by mainstream opposition parties, Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), in National Accountability Ordinance (NAO), said that proposing such amendments tantamount to demanding national reconciliation ordinance (NRO).
In a tweet, the minister said, “For several days now, the PML-N has been saying who is asking for the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO).”
“These are the sources and documents through which the NRO was requested,” he said while sharing the proposed amendments forwarded by the opposition parties.
“History has shown that every time PML-N leadership took path of escaping from the country and the law,” Faraz said.
PPP and PML-N Amendment of Section 25, Ordinance XVIII of 1999, draft stated, “Provided, however that NAB shall not conduct any inquiry or investigation or file any reference for an alleged offence after the passing of five years from the date of the transaction or act constituting the offence.”
“National Accountability Bureau shall not initiate action on allegations, it contained in a complaint which is anonymous or pseudonymous: or which do not involve public money or in which the amount involved is less than Rupees One Billion; or which, under the provisions of any law for the time being in force, cannot be investigated due to lapse of time or relate to a period for which records need not be maintained by the holder of public office,” the proposed amendments document shared by the Information Ministry said.
Another proposed amendment by the opposition parties is “Where at any time during enquiry or after the authorisation of an investigation, before or after the commencement of the trial or during the pendency of an appeal, the holder of public office or any other person offers to return to the NAB the assets or gains acquired or made in the course, or as a consequence of any offence under this Ordinance.”
“The Chairman, NAB, may, in his discretion, after taking into consideration the facts and circumstances of the case, accept the offer on such terms and conditions as he may consider necessary, and if the holder of public office or any other person agrees to return to the NAB the amount determined by the Chairman NAB.”
Separately, Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry assailed leaders of the PML-N for holding the government responsible for allowing former premier Nawaz Sharif to travel abroad for treatment.
In a tweet, he said that PML-N leaders and their supporters in media used to say day and night how critically ill Nawaz was, and if he was not allowed to go abroad, his life would be in peril.
Since yesterday, these people have been saying that it was the government that had sent Sharif abroad and ask how could they ask him to fly back home, and this is the deceit and fib on the basis of which the PML-N was formed, he added.
