A suspect in a fraud case was granted relief for the first time under the National Accountability (Amendment) Ordinance, 2021 on Wednesday, according to a news outlet.
An accountability court in Islamabad referred the fraud case against Abdullah to a sessions court with the observation that the case does not come under an accountability court’s jurisdiction anymore after the promulgation of the new NAB ordinance.
“Such cases will now be dealt with by other courts,” the judge remarked.
Earlier on Tuesday, several accused in cases filed by NAB had sought relief following the promulgation of the ordinance. Several people named in NAB cases had approached accountability courts in Islamabad, seeking termination of fraud and other cases. They were of the view that all cases against them should be disposed off as NAB’s jurisdiction had ended. However, the accountability court had issued a notice to NAB, seeking a detailed reply from the bureau.
Last week, President Arif Alvi had promulgated the National Accountability (Amendment) Ordinance, 2021, under which the NAB law will not extend to matters pertaining to federal, provincial and local taxation, and decisions pertaining to the Council of Common Interests, (CCI), National Economic Council (NEC), National Finance Commission (NFC), Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC), Central Development Working Party (CDWP) and Provincial Development Working Party (PDWP).
