ISLAMABAD: The opposition in Senate lambasted the federal government on Monday over amendments in the law related to National Accountability Bureau (NAB), saying that these amendments would render the accountability watchdog toothless that would help the ruling elites save their skin in corruption cases.
“Today is a black day for all of us. The (new) NAB law is being implemented. NAB has been murdered,” remarked Opposition Leader Dr Shahzad Waseem in the Senate sitting.
He said the amendments this “imported” government introduced in the NAB law would protect the rulers whose cases involving mega corruption of billions of rupees were pending in NAB.
In protest against new NAB law, the opposition senators wore black armbands in the Senate sitting presided over by Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani.
“Today is a black day that’s why we are wearing black armbands. The NRO 2 has been given to the corrupt rulers. What could be more shameful and sad than that—the most powerful and corrupt are allowed to go scot-free,” he deplored.
Leader of the House Azam Tarar alleged that the previous Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government used NAB for political engineering to victimise the opponents.
Senate passes NAB law amendment bill, Election Act amendment
“There was nothing more draconian a law in the entire world than the previous NAB law—so we brought amendments in it. This does not mean that the new law intends to give protection to anyone in corruption cases,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Senate continued debate on the proposed Finance Bill 2022. Mushtaq Ahmed from Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) categorically slammed the proposed bill for being anti-poor.
“The proposed federal budget is not progressive—it is regressive. It tends to strangulate the working class,” he said.
The JI senator also took on the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N)-led coalition government for unleashing what he dubbed was unprecedented inflation in the country on the behest of International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Dr Sania Nishtar from PTI demanded of the government to allocate 50 per cent funds in education budget for female education like the previous PTI government did.
Naseema Ehsan urged the government to take steps to provide a respite to the poor from the rising inflation. She called for taking steps to reduce the burden on the national exchequer.
PTI’s Seemee Ezdi spoke high of former PTI government for remarkably boosting Pakistan’s economy.
Other senators including Kishwar Zehra, Khalida Ateeb, Kamran Murtaza and Dr Zarqa Suharwardy Taimur also participated in the budget debate and shared their views. The house was adjourned till today (Tuesday).
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022