By On Friday, the Supreme Court (SC) of Pakistan reinstated the amendments to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) laws, accepting the federal government’s review plea. The judgment, rendered by a five-member bench headed by Justice Qazi Faez Isa, was passed with a unanimous 5-0 vote. Justice Athar Minallah also issued an additional note to the ruling.
The SC had previously reserved its verdict on June 6 regarding the federal government’s appeal against a prior decision that declared the NAB amendments unconstitutional. The apex court had earlier struck down these amendments following a petition by former Prime Minister Imran Khan, which challenged the changes made during the tenure of the previous Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM)-led government.
The reinstated amendments restore the NAB’s authority and bring back graft cases against public office holders that had been closed following the amendments. The federal and provincial governments had filed intra-court appeals seeking to overturn the earlier ruling, arguing that the amendments were lawful.
The Supreme Court’s short verdict indicated that the full details of the decision will be provided at a later date. The reinstatement of the NAB amendments is expected to have significant implications for ongoing and future corruption cases in Pakistan.
