Fake draft of NAB Ordinance amendments circulating on media, says law ministry

ISLAMABAD - The Ministry of Law said on Wednesday that it has not yet started working on preparing a draft amendment to NAB Ordinance, rejecting the reports being shared on social median and mainstream media about proposed amendments.

Special Assistant to PM on Accountability Shahzad Akbar said that the PTI government believed in transparent accountability, adding that the amendments will be brought to NAB laws with the consultation of the opposition parties. 

He said that the opposition wanted to reduce the powers of the anti-graft buster, adding that business community will be given full protections. 

Akbar assured that no amendment will be introduced that will be against the manifesto of the party. 

According to the reported amendments, the cases handled by the federal and provincial regulatory bodies will also not come under the jurisdiction of NAB. 

If the law is passed, the NAB will not be able to conduct investigation into matters related to the taxes and duties. 

Under the changes, the accountability bureau will no longer be probing corruption-related matters that do not involve a sum of at least Rs1 billion. The federal cabinet will also be exempt from NAB inquires, Geo News reported.

The trials of these cases will be held by the district courts instead of accountability courts once the government ratifies the amendment to the laws.