During the meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Law and Justice, he said that the government will announce the parliamentary committee in the next few days to review the whole NAB law.
The joint committee of the Parliament will consist of members of the Senate and National Assembly and it will review the entire NAB law including its section 25.
The committee which met with Senator Muhammad Javed Abbasi in the chair discussed the matter raised by Senator Farhatullah Babar to review "Section 25 which deals with voluntary return (VR) and plea bargain (PB) of NAO 1999" and decided to postpone the matter on being informed by the minister about the decision of constituting a joint parliamentary committee.
Senator Babar expressed his viewpoint on the issue in detail. He said the NAB law was used for political reengineering and there should be no sacred cows if the law is to be reviewed.
He said that the NAB law has been continuously applied to protect the corrupt and influential people. The section 25 dealing with VR white washes all the sins of people who confess to their corrupt practices, he added.
Farooq Hamid Naek termed the NAO 1999 totally black. This law was never discussed in the Parliament, he said, adding, "We want legal justice in the country, instead of public justice."
Abbasi said that time has come to review the law, adding that the joint committee of the Parliament should review the NAB law comprehensively.
Director General (DG) National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Zahir Shah, while briefing the committee about VR and PB said the main objectives of the NAO 1999 is to eradicate corrupt and corruption practices and hold all those persons accused of such practices accountable. It also aims to ensure recovery of outstanding amounts from defaulters and recover state money and other assets from the corrupt people, he added.
He said that with an aim to achieve the objective of NAO the 1999 and recover outstanding amounts, the provision of "voluntary return (plea of bargaining)" was incorporated in it under section 25.
Shah said that the concept of plea bargain is not new in criminal proceedings as it is prevailing in different accountability and prosecution systems of the world including the United States, Canada, India, Estonia, France, Georgia, Germany, Italy, Poland, Guatemala, Switzerland and Norway.
He said there are serious reservations in the NAB at the time of insertion of section 25 in its Ordinance. The people who supported it decided that the VR of government officials would not be accepted and it would be only implemented in the matter involving huge amounts, public related matters and against those who declared their accounts Benami after looting public money.
Senator Aitzaz Ahsan asked the NAB official about those who probed and charge-sheeted during the investigation of Benami property. The NAB official said, "Under the law, we include the names of sons, daughters and employees of the accused in this regard."
To which, Ahsan said why NAB failed to include names of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's sons Hussain Nawaz and Hassan Nawaz in the Panamagate scandal.
Zahid Hamid, however, expressed his anger and termed it irrelevant and unnecessary issue.
Shah informed that an amount of Rs37.120 billion has been recovered so far through VR & PB from 4,565 accused persons since its inception.
The committee also considered "The Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2016" introduced by Senator Sassui Palijo and Senator Mukhtiar Ahmed Dhamrah.
Sassui Palijo said that regional languages need to be given a proper recognition, which would help promote national integration and build a strong federation as well. She said that a number of movements are working currently demanding grant of national status to these languages; therefore, it has become imperative to give these languages recognition.
It was informed that Senator Karim Ahmed Khawaja has also moved a similar bill on the matter. The committee decided to consider both the bills together in the next meeting.
Sassui Palijo said that there is a cultural diversity in Pakistani society and there is also a need to promote unity in diversity.
Senator Naek emphasised that it would help strengthen democracy in the country.
The meeting was also attended Senators Saleem Zia, Zahida Khan, Dr Muhammad Ali Khan Saif, and Mukhtiar Ahmed Dhamrah, senior officers from the Ministry of Law and NAB, and others.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2017