In a significant development, the Supreme Court of Pakistan convened today to deliberate on the federal government’s appeals against the recent National Accountability Bureau (NAB) amendments. The five-member bench, led by Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa, comprised Justice Aminuddin Khan, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail, Justice Athar Minallah, and Justice Azhar Hasan Rizvi.
The federal government had submitted appeals urging the apex court to overturn the majority judgment of September 15, which deemed the amendments to the National Accountability Ordinance (NAO) unlawful.
Back in September 2023, the Supreme Court, in a split decision, declared that public representatives benefiting from the amendments introduced by the Pakistan Democratic Movement government would be subject to renewed corruption investigations.
During today’s proceedings, the government contended that the PTI founder, who initiated the challenge against the amendments, was afforded ample opportunities to present arguments over the course of 27 hearings. Conversely, it argued, the federation was constrained to merely responding to bench inquiries.
The outcome of this legal battle holds profound implications for the landscape of accountability and governance in Pakistan. Stay tuned for further updates as the Supreme Court deliberates on this pivotal matter.
