ISLAMABAD (HRNW): In a significant legislative move, the Parliament has passed a bill introducing several critical amendments to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) laws. The new legislation focuses on administrative continuity within the anti-graft watchdog and revises the monetary jurisdiction for corruption cases.
Extension of Tenures and Administrative Continuity
Under the newly approved bill, the federal government now has the authority to grant extensions to the service tenure of the NAB Chairman and other high-ranking officials. A key provision ensures that an outgoing Chairman can continue to perform their duties until a successor is formally appointed, effectively preventing any leadership vacuum within the bureau during transition periods.
Lowered Threshold for Mega-Corruption Cases
The amendment has notably lowered the financial benchmark for cases handled by NAB. Previously, the bureau primarily dealt with “mega-corruption” cases involving a minimum of 500 million rupees (50 crore). This threshold has now been reduced to 300 million rupees (30 crore), significantly expanding NAB’s reach and allowing it to investigate a broader range of financial irregularities and public-sector corruption.
Introduction of the Right to a Second Appeal
In a major shift for the legal process, the bill grants defendants the right to a second appeal against NAB court decisions. While the scope for appeals in the High Courts remains defined, a new procedural safeguard allows for a second appeal to be filed in the Federal Constitutional Court in instances where procedural errors or legal misinterpretations are alleged. This move is seen as an effort to ensure greater judicial oversight and transparency in high-stakes accountability proceedings.
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