The Supreme Court (SC) has temporarily halted accountability courts from pronouncing final judgments in corruption-related cases. The pause will remain in effect until the subsequent session reviewing the NAB amendments.
On September 15, the Supreme Court invalidated changes to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) laws, delivering its verdict on the PTI chairman’s petition. The review was attended by a five-member bench headed by Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa. It included prominent figures such as Justice Amin-Ud-Din Khan and Justice Athar Minallah.
During the hearing, questions arose regarding the specifics of the nullified amendments. Justice Minallah posed inquiries about the sequence of the nullification process. Chief Justice Isa noted that if the intent was to nullify, all three amendments should have been addressed simultaneously.
Proceedings and Future Hearings
Farooq H Naek’s appeal, aiming to nullify the three-member bench’s decision, was declined by the SC. Subsequent notices were dispatched to parties involved, such as the PTI chairman and AGP. The Supreme Court emphasized that further deliberations on the NAB amendments case would proceed only after the detailed verdict in the Practice and Procedure Act case is issued. The brief order from the SC effectively puts a pause on accountability courts’ final decisions in corruption matters.
