President Dr. Arif Alvi has sent back National Accountability (Amendment) Bill 2023 to the parliament for reconsideration after observing that the amendments brought earlier in the National Accountability Ordinance 1999 were sub-judice before the Supreme Court of Pakistan. The President exercised his power under clause (1)(b) of Article 75 of the Constitution and returned the unsigned bill to the parliament for reexamination or otherwise. According to Dr. Alvi, without considering the implications of a pending matter, further amendments to the NAB Ordinance 1999 should be reevaluated.
Today’s Pakistan is witnessing a new kind of politics and governance since the ouster of the PTI government through a no-confidence motion in April last year. The warring political groups are unashamedly pursuing their party’s manifestos without considering the gravity, unlawfulness, and harmful effects of their rash drive on public life, businesses, and the national economy. Realistically, public leaders and political groups are supposed to work for the well-being and betterment of the masses after grabbing power in the electoral process. The current Pakistani leaders are entirely committed to their party agenda and persistently use all executive and legislative powers to their benefit, whilst, the absence of an effective opposition further magnified their fallacious motives. The incumbent coalition government has introduced a series of legislations typically aimed at changing the country’s accountability and prosecution regimes to get rid of under-trial cases in the courts and to zero-sum the lawsuits agaisnt PML-N Supremo Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif to ultimately pave the way for his dignified return to the country.
In fact, the Constitution of the country has become a mere piece of document for the influential and both contesting parties are playing with it. The ruling coalition has introduced multiple laws while taking advantage of its majority in the parliament such as the National Accountability (Second Amendment) bill, Election Amendment Bill as well as the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Bill-2023 that were categorically blocked by the President in the defense of his party. Currently, the coalition government has again presented the National Accountability (Amendment) Bill 2023 which was turned down by the President once again. Historically, framing politically motivated legislation is not a new phenomenon and all previous governments passed legislation to comprehend their political manifestos and protect their party interest, but it is hard luck of the incumbent rulers that the Presidency is still occupied by their adversary who persistently nullifies their attempt to override the law. Apparently, both warring groups are using public offices and institutions for party benefits instead of using their tact and time in public service, which is a need of time and demand of their nationalism.
The current political turmoil has worsened over the past weeks and the tussle between the two groups is equally affecting all aspects of public life and the functioning of the national institutions. Although, there had been massive anomalies in the accountability laws and prosecution along with the registration of revengeful cases against the opposition. Yet the incumbent rulers must not exabit mockery of the law by writing off their past cases and getting relief from their own perceived legislations. The public trust in political leaders and national institutions has seriously eroded because of the undying political dogfight between the parties, and no remorse by the leaders over the grave problems of the masses. The current situation demands the seriousness and tact of the leadership to end their mutual antagonism and adopt a consensus policy to rescue the nation from the current upheaval. Otherwise, the public’s disbelief would cost serious damage to their politics.
