[DAWN] The Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) on Thursday termed some sections of the National Accountability Ordinance, 1999, as going against the Shariah.Addressing a press conference on Thursday, chairman of the CII, Dr Qibla Ayaz, said the council held a two-day-long meeting during which it concluded that sections 14-D, 15-A and 26 of the NAO were un-Islamic.
Section 14 of the law pertains to presumption against accused accepting illegal gratification, Section 15 pertains to disqualification to contest elections (or to hold public office) and Section 26 pertains to the tender of pardon.
Ayaz said that according to the council, handcuffing suspects and airing footage of the arrest on media is un-Islamic. Additionally, the council said that it was not the suspects' responsibility to prove their guilt and keeping a suspect in custody for long periods without a case also went against Islamic principles.
As per the CII, plea bargains and turning of suspects into approvers is also against the Shariah.
Ayaz said with the National Accountability (Amendment) Ordinance, 2019, the accountability law will become further discriminatory.
"NAB law is not compatible with Islamic laws on crime and punishment," Dr Ayaz said, adding that the council will also review amendments to the law.
Last month, through a presidential ordinance, the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf government made drastic changes in the country’s accountability law.
After smooth sailing of the three key bills on the tenure of the services chiefs through the parliament, the government and the opposition on Wednesday agreed to discuss and build consensus for legislation on other important matters including the powers of NAB.
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