New law of Pak's anti-graft body may affect nearly 100 high-profile cases

The third amendment of Pakistan's anti-graft body -- National Accountability Bureau --- law will affect around 100 high-profile cases including a former president, current and ex-prime ministers, lawmakers other and senior bureaucrats of the country, local media reported on Monday.

According to The News International, the newly-amended ordinance, 2021 suggests that nearly 2,700 accused (60 per cent of total ongoing 8,272 references, investigations, inquiries and complaints) either might get relief under the newly-promulgated accountability law or their matters would be transferred to the authorities, departments and courts concerned under the respective laws.

The publication also reported that at present, 332 high-profile, mega cases are under process at the NAB regional offices. They link to a former president, six former prime ministers, eight ex/sitting chief ministers, 126 former/sitting ministers/senators/MNAs/MPAs, 159 serving/retired bureaucrats and fake accounts cases.

As per the NAB officials, 1,273 ongoing references involved approximately an embezzled amount of Rs 1,300 billion.

According to Samaa Tv, the new law will now be called the National Accountability (Third Amendment) Ordinance.

The changes to the law come less than a month after the president signed an earlier version, called the amended NAB Ordinance of October 8, 2021. This was the second change to the law, which removed from NAB's jurisdiction the ability to go after cases of money laundering and fraud.

With the third amendment, which will be effective from October 6, NAB can go back to pursuing money laundering cases. This affects several Opposition politicians who were booked in fake accounts and money laundering cases, as per Samaa Tv.

( With inputs from ANI )

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