ISLAMABAD: A petition challenging the National Accountability Bureau (Amendment) Ordinance, 2021, was submitted to the Islamabad High Court (IHC) Wednesday.
Nominating the federal government and NAB chairman retired Justice Javed Iqbal as respondents, the petition sought annulment of the ordinance promulgated on October 6.
The ordinance paves the way for Iqbal to continue holding his post for an indefinite period of time until the appointment of his successor.
An ordinance is a law promulgated by the president, when parliament is not in session, in the exercise of the powers vested in him by Article 89 of the Constitution but for a limited time only.
The petition contended the reappointment of retired judges was against the freedom of the institution of the judiciary.
It requested the court to declare the ordinance null and void.
Last week, a similar petition was filed in the Lahore High Court as well which contended that changing the law to accommodate or benefit a single individual was “patently illegal, mala fide, and unconstitutional”.
“An ordinance cannot be allowed to override the parliament since assembly is there, and a session can be called at any time,” the petitioner said.
