MPs to discuss on 5th Army, Judiciary inclusion in proposed NAC

Islamabad

The Parliamentary Committee on National Accountability Laws will meet on July 5 after a gap of one month to deliberate whether to bring the military and judges in the ambit of new National Accountability Commission (NAC) or not.

In the previous meeting that was held in the month of May, the Parliamentary Committee on National Accountability Laws had deferred the debate on bringing the military and judges in the ambit of new Accountability Commission.

According to sources, there were clear division in the committee as some were of the view that there should be no holy cow as if the accountability of these institution were not made accountable then the accountability of politicians and civil bureaucracy will be discriminatory while some members of the committee were of the opinion that the army and higher judiciary has its own accountability mechanism as the army has punishments of court martial as well as other punishments on proving any irregularities while the Judiciary has a mechanism of accountability through Supreme Judicial Council, which is a constitutional body. The parliamentary committee had already approved the proposal of sweeping powers to the chairman of the proposed National Accountability Commission to make a decision either to close any corruption inquiry or re-open the investigation of the closed corruption case basis on the report of its investigation agency, which would be formed under the new accountability law.

The separate investigation agency in pattern of Federal Investigation Authority (FIA), it will investigate all the corruption related cases and all the cases of NAB, would be sent to its proposed investigation agency instead of the FIA.

The committee had already approved the proposal for creating the investigation agency of the new National Accountability Commission, and it would complete its investigation against any corruption charges within mandatory 60-days of time and presented to the National Accountability Commission.

Following receiving the investigation report from its investigation agency within a mandatory time period of 60-days, the newly proposed National Accountability Commission will make a decision to file a corruption reference in the accountability courts.

The committee has already approved the proposals that chairman of the proposed National Accountability Commission to make a decision either to close any corruption inquiry or re-open the investigation of the closed corruption case basis on the report of its investigation agency, which would be formed under the new accountability law.

It had also approved the proposal that the accused in the corruption and white collar crime will have a right to defend himself as per provided in the criminal laws.

The committee had also already approved with the proposal for right to get the bail if the trial in the courts goes lengthy.

While the Chairman of the proposed National Accountability Commission to make a decision either to close any corruption inquiry or re-open the investigation of the closed corruption case basis on the report of the its investigation agency, which would be formed under the new accountability law.

It was also proposed that the accused in the corruption and white collar crime will have a right to defend himself as per provided in the criminal laws.

The Parliamentary Committee on National Accountability Law also approved the proposal under which the like parliamentarians, the bureaucracy will also be filed their assets details regularly.

Under the proposed law of the National Accountability Commission, the consultation between the Prime Minister and the Opposition leader is necessary for the appointment of Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the National Accountability Commission and after the completion of consultation between the Prime Minister and Opposition leader, these appointments would be sent to parliamentary Committee for the confirmation.

Under the approved proposed, the Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the National Accountability Commission only be removed through Judicial Council.

It was also proposed the 3-year tenure for Chairman and Deputy Chairman and there would be no extension in their tenure,

The Parliamentary Committee on National Accountability Laws had already approved  the proposal for the life term disqualification from holding public office of those who availed the voluntarily return and made a plea bargain under the new accountability laws.

Article source: https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/213912-MPs-to-discuss-on-5th-Army-Judiciary-inclusion-in-proposed-NAC