ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) and the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) have declared that the National Accounta-bility Bureau (NAB) Second Amendment Ordinance 2021 is nothing but an attempt to undermine the authority of the parliament.

President Dr Arif Alvi, on October 6, promulgated the National Accountab-ility (Amen-dment) Ordinance, 2021 paving the way for continuation of the incumbent Chairman Justice (retired) Javed Iqbal on the post till the appointment of the new chairman NAB.

PBC Vice-Chairman Khush Dil Khan, Chairman Executive Committee PBC Muhammad Faheem Wali, and President SCBA Abdul Latif Afridi expressed disappointment upon the promulgation of the "NAB Amendment Ordinance". They declared the issuance of such an ordinance that materially changes the accountability laws is nothing but an attempt to undermine the authority of the parliament.

The amendment allowing the incumbent chairman NAB to continue in his office is devoid of any merits; much less person-specific amendment in derogation of settled law is also not acceptable at all, they said. Appointment of officers as judges of accountability courts on lucrative packages also appears to be an attempt to encroach upon the independence of judiciary, they aid.

The PBC, in consultation with other Bar bodies, will announce its future course of action against this "draconian Law", they said.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021