National Accountability (Amendment) Ordinance, 2024 challenged in IHC

ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability (Amendment) Ordinance, 2024 has come under legal scrutiny with a petition challenging its validity, filed in the Islamabad High Court (IHC).

A citizen, Malik Najiullah, represented by lawyer Azhar Siddique, has challenged the ordinance, naming the cabinet secretary, president, Senate chairman and National Assembly speaker as respondents. The petition argues that the ordinance unlawfully extended the remand period from 14 to 40 days, and reduced the punishment for filing malicious cases from five years to two years.

Najiullah contended that the changes infringe on basic human rights and undermine democratic principles. He asserted that the ordinance, which was issued without parliamentary approval, imposed the opinion of a single individual on the entire nation. He also criticised the ordinance for failing to address the issue of officers making false cases, arguing that a two-year penalty was insufficient.

The petitioner highlighted that the chief justice of Pakistan had previously questioned the democratic legitimacy of such ordinances and noted that they should not bypass parliamentary scrutiny.

Najiullah requested the court to declare the National Accountability (Amendment) Ordinance, 2024 unconstitutional and void and to invalidate any measures taken under it as politically motivated.

He also sought an order for the relevant parties to provide information under the right to access to information.

This legal challenge follows issuance of two ordinances on May 27, approved by acting president and Senate Chairman Yusuf Raza Gilani.