Acting President issues NAB law amendment ordinance; physical remand duration increased

ISLAMABAD– After the rumours of the federal government wanting to issue a presidential ordinance in order to amend the NAB (National Accountability Bureau) law, acting President Sadiq Sanjrani promulgated the amendeded ordinance in midnight notification.

The Ministry of Law prepared a draft for the presidential ordinance, and the proposed NAB amendments was implemented through the presidential ordinance during the wee hours of Tuesday night.

Sources said that the federal cabinet has also given nod to the amendments in NAB law, under which the physical remand could now be extended up-to 30 days.

The draft of the presidential ordinance was promulgated by the acting president, and under the new amendments any individual found not cooperating with NAB under the new amendments will be arrested.

A notification signed by Mr Sanjrani stated, “The prime minister’s advice at para 6 of the summary is approved. The National Accountability (Amendment) Ordinance, 2023, is signed and promulgated.”

The ordinance signed around midnight also increased the duration of physical remand from 15 days to 30 days. Under a recent amendment by the sitting government to the National Accountability Ordinance 1999, the duration of physical remand had been reduced from 90 days to 14 days.