ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi has sent back National Accountability (Amendment) Bill 2023 to the parliament for reconsideration after observing that the amendments brought earlier in the National Accountability Ordinance 1999 were sub-judice before the Supreme Court.

President Arif Alvi sent back the piece of legislation, in terms of clause (1)(b) of the Article 75 of the Constitution, President Secretariat Press Wing said in a press release issued on Sunday. The president said that this aspect of the legislation was neither referred to in the bill nor in the prime minister’s advice.

He observed that without considering the implications of a pending matter, further amendments in the National Accountability Ordinance 1999 should be reconsidered. Earlier, the prime minister had sent his advice seeking assent of the president over the said bill. In a couple of tweets, the president also gave same reasons for his action.

On April 8 last, President Arif Alvi had also returned the bill curtailing the Chief Justice of Pakistan’s powers unsigned to the Parliament with the request for reconsideration in order to meet the scrutiny about its validity.

President Alvi said he had returned the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Bill, 2023 for reconsideration to the Parliament as per the provisions of the Article 75 of the Constitution, stating that the bill prima-facie travels beyond the competence of the Parliament and can be assailed as colourable legislation.

Alvi had said he thought it fit and proper to return the bill, in accordance with the Constitution, with the request for reconsideration in order to meet the scrutiny about its validity (if assailed in the court of law).