Senator Abdul Qadir has submitted a landmark bill in the Senate proposing major amendments to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) law. If passed, the bill would reduce NAB’s investigative jurisdiction in corruption cases from the current Rs50 crore to Rs30 crore, aiming to streamline accountability processes.
The bill also introduces significant procedural reforms, including allowing appeals against High Court decisions only in the Federal Shariat Court. Moreover, it proposes the extension of tenure for both the NAB Chairman and Deputy Chairman, signaling a move to enhance continuity in leadership.
Speaking on the bill, Senator Abdul Qadir remarked, “These reforms are designed to modernize NAB’s functioning while focusing its resources on high-value corruption cases, making the accountability process more effective and transparent.”
The bill comes amid ongoing debates about NAB’s role in Pakistan’s governance and follows concerns over delays and inefficiencies in handling high-value corruption cases. By redefining its jurisdiction, the government aims to balance accountability with procedural efficiency.
The proposed legislation will now undergo detailed scrutiny and debate in the Senate before final approval. Analysts suggest that if passed, this bill could reshape Pakistan’s anti-corruption landscape by prioritizing major cases while easing the burden on the bureau for smaller-scale investigations.