Peshawar High court clubs petitions against NAB law changes.

PESHAWAR -- The Peshawar High Court has decided to club all petitions against a controversial presidential ordinance that curtailed several powers of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

A bench consisting of Chief Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth and Justice Mohammad Naeem Anwar fixed July 7 for the next hearing into a petition of around 200 people, mostly the residents of Nowshera district, who sought orders to declare the Dec 28 ordinance unconstitutional.

It directed the NAB prosecutor to produce a list of cases pending with the court about that ordinance declaring that they will be heard together on July 7.

Additional attorney general Qazi Babar Irshad said the National Accountability (Amendment) Ordinance, 2019, had lapsed after the completion of its constitutional life of four months and therefore, the petition had become infructuous.

He requested the court to dispose of the petition.

200 people have challenged ordinance that curtailed several powers of bureau

Shah Faisal Ilyas, lawyer the petitioners, said apart from challenging the ordinance, his clients had also sought the court's orders to declare illegal and unconstitutional any act done on the strength of that ordinance.

He said several high-profile people, including a former prime minister, were provided relief on basis of the ordinance.

The lawyer said several cases pending with the NAB or accountability courts were transferred to the anti-corruption establishment or other agencies for action.

He requested the bench to direct the NAB to proceed with the inquiries or investigations and trials under the National Accountability Ordinance (NAO), 1999.

Shah Faisal Ilyas said several cases had come to an end, while money launders had been facilitated.

He said through the ordinance, the offence of the misuse of authority was almost abolished in the National Accountability Ordinance, 1999, by adding the words 'materially benefitted' with it.

The lawyer said the offences of illegal schemes and...