— PTI chief challenges NAB law in top court
— Says Super Tax to bring in a storm of inflation, price hike
ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan on Saturday challenged the recent amendments made into the NAB Law.
Addressing a press conference here at his residence, Khan also came down hard over the PDM government, saying that the 10 percent super tax imposed by the coalition government on 13 large-scale industries will bring a storm of inflation and price hike in the country.
Khan also announced holding anti-government public gatherings in all major cities across the country on July 2 with him addressing the main event at Islamabad’s Parade Ground.
He said he has issued directives to all party workers in all major cities to hold the rallies the same day. The PTI chief told his supporters that he would address the gathering for Rawalpindi and Islamabad residents, while the supporters should increasingly participate in the rallies organised in their respective cities, terming it necessary for the “future generations.”
Commenting on the “super tax” introduced by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) led coalition government, Imran said it would add to already rising inflation in the country. He added that the tax had caused several industries to close while many have already laid off their employees.
The former premier further stated that the super tax would hike the corporate tax to 40 per cent, which is at 25 per cent in India and Bangladesh at present.
He predicted that the incumbent government would continue to increase the prices of petroleum products, adding that such steps following the budget would only burden the common man.
Imran further commented that the tax was perturbing the salaried class, saying the wise thing to do was to instead broaden the tax net.
He said with the imposition of 10 percent super tax, the tax on 13 major large-scale industries, will reach 40 percent that would lead to the shutting down of many factories.
The former PM said that the industries have started laying off employees after the imposition of super tax.
He said that the increase in diesel price would affect farmers, adding that the incompetent government has also increased tax on salaried class. The salaried class was earlier given a tax exemption on an income of Rs100,000 but the incumbent government has decreased the slab to Rs 50,000, he said.
Imran Khan said that his government collected record tax revenue during its tenure, adding that his government didn’t burden those who were paying taxes, while 43 million non-paying households were added in the tax net.
PTI challenges NAB law in SC
Meanwhile, Former prime minister and PTI chairman Imran Khan on Saturday approached the Supreme Court to challenge the coalition government’s recent amendments to the National Accountability (NAB) Ordinance, contending that they will “virtually eliminate any white-collar crime committed by a public office holder”.
The changes were criticised by Imran Khan, with the PTI chairman saying the move would destroy the country. The ruling coalition, however, contended that graft cases against the PML-N leadership would continue, with Shahid Khaqan Abbasi saying it was not intended to end corruption cases against them.
The bill, along with the one on election reforms, was passed by the National Assembly and Senate last month. After its approval from both houses, the president’s assent was required for it to become law.
However, Alvi sent back the bills, following which the government convened a joint sitting of the NA and Senate, which approved them. Alvi again refused to sign them, terming them “regressive”, and sent them back. But procedurally, 10 days after a joint sitting passes a bill, it is considered law even if the president refuses assent.
In the petition filed today, the ex-premier named the Federation of Pakistan through its secretary Law and Justice Division and the NAB through its chairman as respondents in the case.
In his petition, Imran requested the court to adjudicate upon questions of “great public importance” with reference to the enforcement of fundamental rights of citizens under articles 9 (security of a person), 14 (inviolability of dignity of a man, etc), 19A (right to information), 24 (protection of property rights) and 25 (equality of citizens) of the Constitution.
Most of the amendments brought into NAB, he argued, were person-specific. “As such, it is just and fair to protect the constitutional and fundamental rights of the citizens of Pakistan.
“The NAB may be asked to provide details of all such cases which relate to the prominent and influential holders of public office, specially regarding cases pertaining to offences of owning assets (movable and immovable) without means,” the petition stated.
It added that the amendment hands over the president’s right to appoint the body’s chairman to the government which will “maneuver by the bulk of the holders of public office to assume control over and influence the impartiality of the NAB chairman.”
Imran further said: “The accountability of political actions takes place at the time of elections, and is dependent upon laws that ensure free and fair elections; accountability for legal or administrative actions is available to the people by way of judicial review, and is dependent upon the existence of a free, fair and independent judiciary; while accountability for the functions discharged by the elected representatives of the people in their fiduciary capacity, which, as a matter of fact, permeates all categories, is possible only where law specifically provides for such accountability.
“The removal of hurdles in the normal time-tested and universally adopted methods of proving these “white collar crimes”, reducing the efficacy, transparency, and fairness of these laws coupled with a free and independent judiciary, and freedom of the investigators and the prosecutors from the influence and interference of those very chosen representatives whose alleged corruption and corrupt practices they are tasked to investigate and prosecute.”
He cautioned that making accountability law “weak and ineffectual” was a severe breach of the Constitution and underscored that the people of Pakistan had the right to hold their elected representatives accountable for their fiduciary actions.
The NAB (Second Amendment) Bill 2021 states that NAB’s deputy chairman, to be appointed by the federal government, would become the acting chairman of the bureau following the completion of the tenure of the chairman.
The bill has also reduced the four-year term of the NAB chairman and the bureau’s prosecutor general to three years. After approval of the law, NAB will not be able to act on federal, provincial or local tax matters. Moreover, the regulatory bodies functioning in the country have also been placed out of NAB’s domain.
It says that “all pending inquiries, investigations, trials or proceedings under this ordinance, relating to persons or transactions … shall stand transferred to the concerned authorities, departments and courts under the respective laws.”
It has also set a three-year term for the judges of the accountability courts. It will also make it binding upon the courts to decide a case within one year. Under the proposed law, it has been made binding upon NAB to ensure the availability of evidence against an accused prior to his or her arrest.
According to one of the key amendments, the act “shall be deemed to have taken effect on and from the commencement of the National Accountability Ordinance 1999”.
Regarding NAB law, the PTI chairman said that he has challenged the amendments in the Supreme Court, adding that he has confidence in the judiciary as it will not allow oppression.
“If they [incumbent rulers] succeeds, the country wouldn’t need enemies,” he said and added these NAB amendments are going to destroy Pakistan as the big robbers will be exempted under NAB amendments.
He said, “The rulers have dug the grave of the system of accountability to save themselves, adding that no one will be able to ask the person who bought the property with the plundered money.
