ISLAMABAD, December 20: The Supreme Court of Pakistan has set a deadline of the first week of February for the NAB law to be amended or else it will make the decision itself.
During the hearing of a suo moto notice on Thursday, Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed said the Supreme Court had ordered NAB to amend its law in 2001.
The lawyer argued that the voluntary return scheme was added after the court’s order. However, Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed said the 2002 amendment was not according to the court order.
The bench, also comprising Justice Mazhar Alam Khan Miankhel and Justice Yahya Afridi, said that it respects parliament, however, 17 years have passed and the NAB law hasn’t been amended.
Justice Afridi said parliament should make whatever amendments it deems appropriate. The court will oversee the amendments, he said.
If the law is not amended by the first week of February, the Supreme Court will decide itself, remarked Justice Saeed. He said the court could declare the law null and void if it so chose.
A parliamentary committee is working to amend the NAB law, Senator Farooq H Naek informed the judges. Instead of making a decision, give parliament time to amend the law, he requested.
However, Justice Saeed said it seems like the court will also have to amend the NAB law. Voluntary returns cannot erase crimes, he said. – Sabah
