SC orders Govt to bring new ordinance in three months on NAB plea bargain.

ISLAMABAD -- The Supreme Court on Wednesday gave the government three months to bring a new National Accountability Ordinance (NAO) while hearing a suo motu case concerning the voluntary return of misappropriated funds in graft cases.

The government overhauled the accountability law known as the National Accountability Ordinance, 1999, last month through a presidential ordinance, bringing momentous alterations in powers of the accountability watchdog.

An application was filed with the apex court against the amendment to immediately order its suspension while terming it the violation of Article 25 of the Constitution and an attempt to protect corruption.

Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed ordered the government to not prolong the matter, or otherwise, the top court would itself give ruling in the case upon expiry of three months.

'The Supreme Court has [already] restricted the NAB from [using] plea bargain,' he said...