Categorically rejecting the NAB (Amendment) Ordinance, the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), an opposition parties’ alliance, on Friday alleged the ordinance was an attempt to protect federal ministers tainted with corruption from accountability, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

Reacting to the ordinance promulgated just a few days back and under which extension was granted to NAB Chairman Justice (r) Javed Iqbal, Hafiz Hamdullah, spokesman for the PDM, commented, “It was an ‘NRO’ by the government to the government.”

The ordinance, Hamdullah added, would protect the ministers whose names were doing rounds on media in connection with sugar, wheat, drugs, petrol, Ring Road, Malam Jabba, BRT and million trees projects scams. “Through the ordinance, the ‘selected’ Prime Minister Imran Khan has exempted his cabinet made up of ‘imported’ ministers from accountability,” PDM spokesman alleged.   

“PDM categorically rejects the NAB Amendment Ordinance,” Hamdullah said, adding the ordinance could be of benefit to those living in Bani Gala and those close to the hearts of the ‘selected’ prime minister, but not to the country and its institutions.

The spokesman said that after constantly denying ‘NRO’ to the opposition parties for the last three years, the government had finally ended up giving NRO to its own ministers.    

Reporter Usman Khan