KARACHI: Amid a walkout staged by the opposition, the provincial assembly of Sindh on Wednesday approved amended anti-corruption bill 2017 with majority.
The opposition said that the bill was repugnant to the constitution while the government said that it has the power to do so under Article 140-2b. Speaking on the floor of the Sindh Assembly, Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah said the Sindh Assembly has approved the bill again after the NAB nullifying bill rejected by Sindh Governor Muhammad Zubair. It was among the powers of the Sindh government to bring alternate system of NAB, he added. He said a committee would be formed to appoint head of the Sindh Accountability Commission. It will consist of speaker and opposition members. He made it clear that there would be no role of the government in the affairs of the commission. The CM told the House that NAB had given clean chit in tractor scheme but huge embezzlement was proved in the scheme. Responding to criticism of the opposition, he said opposition cannot use harsh words for the government and the speaker. Sindh Law Minister Zia Lanjar had moved a bill “NAB ordinance 1999 Sindh” to repeal the NAB ordinance which was approved despite strong protest by the opposition.
The repealing of the NAB ordinance will withhold powers of taking actions against subordinate institutions and officers of the Sindh government while National Accountability Bureau would be able to take action against federal institutions. On the other hand, there are certain chances that the governor will not approve the recently passed bill.
Published in Daily Times, July 27th 2017.
