Pakistan: Imran Khan expresses ‘delight’ at SC verdict on NAB amendments, says counsel

Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan — who is currently incarcerated in Attock Jail in a graft case — expressed his delight at the Supreme Court’s verdict on amendments made to the country’s accountability laws, The News International reported citing Khan’s counsel.
Earlier on Friday, the top court ordered to restore corruption cases against public office holders that were withdrawn after amendments were made to the country’s accountability laws.
Earlier today, Pakistan’s Apex Court approved the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Imran Khan’s petition challenging amendments made to the country’s accountability laws during the tenure of the previous Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM)- led government, Geo News reported on Friday.
These cases, which were closed down following the amendments, will now be restored as the court declared the amendments void.
“The PTI chairman was very happy over the verdict,” Shoaib Shaheen, the counsel of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) Chairman said.
A three-member bench of the apex court in a majority 2-1 verdict approved Khan’s petition challenging amendments made to the accountability laws. The bench, headed by CJP Umar Ata Bandial, and comprising Justice Mansoor Ali Shah and Justice Ijazul Ahsan, held more than 50 hearings on PTI chief Khan’s petition against the amendments and reserved the judgment on the hearing on September 5.
In the majority verdict, the SC restored graft cases against public office holders that were closed down following the amendments.
Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, former President Asif Ali Zardari and former Premier Yousuf Raza Gillani are likely to face inquiries after the SC in a 2-1 verdict struck down some of the amendments made to the National Accountability Ordinance (NAO), 1999, The News International reported.
The top court declared nine out of 10 amendments null and void while Justice Shah issued a dissenting note in the case.
The NAB amendments not only reduced the four-year term of the NAB chairman and the bureau’s prosecutor general to three years but also placed all regulatory bodies functioning in the country out of NAB’s domain, The News International reported.
Talking to journalists, Shaheen confirmed he met the PTI chief, who was handed down a three-year imprisonment in the Toshakhana case, in Attock jail.
The PTI chairman was very happy over the verdict,” said his lawyer. He added that matters related to NAB laws were discussed in the sitting.
Meanwhile, the former prime minister was arrested from his Zaman Park residence in Lahore on August 5, after being convicted in the Toshakhana case with accusations of misusing his 2018 to 2022 premiership to buy and sell gifts in state possession that were received during visits abroad and worth more than 140 million Pakistani Rupees (PKR) (USD 635,000).
Earlier in the day, Imran Khan filed a petition in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) seeking post-arrest bail in the cipher case, Pakistan-based Dawn reported.
Khan’s decision comes days after the special court formed to hear cases filed under the Official Secrets Act, rejected the PTI chairman’s plea seeking the same.
Imran Khan filed the petition through his lawyer Salman Safdar. The State and Interior Ministry Secretary Yousuf Naseem Khokar have been made respondents in the case. The petitioner has requested the court to grant post-arrest bail to Imran Khan till the final disposal of the cipher case “to meet the ends of justice, according to Dawn.
Earlier on Thursday, the court granted post-arrest bail to Asad Umar while Imran Khan and Shah Mahmood Qureshi were denied bail. The judicial remand of Imran Khan and Shah Mahmood Qureshi has been extended till September 26.