ISLAMABAD: According to Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial, the majority of the National Accountability Ordinance, 1999 revisions appear to have provided concessions and relief to the accused.The chief justice made these comments while presiding over a three-member bench of the supreme court that heard a lawsuit filed by PTI Chairman Imran Khan contesting changes made to the NAB law by the coalition government.
The other members of the court were Justices Syed Mansoor Ali Shah and Ijazul Ahsan.The supreme court will assure complete cooperation with the institutions adhering to the Constitution and rule of law, according to the chief justice.As parliament is the supreme institution and it is the role of parliamentarians to enact laws, the CJP stated, “Be sure that the apex court has no purpose to make legislation; we are merely the protectors of the Constitution.”
He said that rather than meddling in the political affairs of the nation, the court would instead look into legislation that violated citizens’ fundamental rights.The CJP stated that it would be a violation of fundamental rights if the NAB statute revisions turned out to be a joke with regard to the accountability procedure.
