The National Accountability Ordinance, 1999

*(ORDINANCE NO. XVIII OF 1999)

[24th September, 1999]

An Ordinance to provide for the setting up of a National Accountability Bureau so as to eradicate corruption and corrupt practices and hold accountable all those persons accused of such practices and matters ancillary thereto;

6.       National Accountability Bureau. (a) There shall be constituted a National Accountability Bureau for the whole of Pakistan.

[1][(b)   Chairman, National Accountability Bureau:--

(i)      There shall be a Chairman, National Accountability Bureau to be appointed by the Federal Government after consultation between the Leader of the House and the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly:

                   Provided that the consultation between Leader of the House and Leader of the Opposition shall be initiated two months prior to the expiry of the term of outgoing Chairman and shall be concluded within the period of forty five days;

(ii)      If there is no consensus on the name of the Chairman, the names proposed by the Leader of the House and the Leader of the Opposition shall be forwarded by the Chairman of the Senate and Speaker of the National Assembly, as the case may be, to the Parliamentary Committee appointed under clause (iii), which may confirm any one name for appointment as Chairman:

                   Provided that the Leader of the House and Leader of the opposition shall propose two names each for consideration of the Parliamentary Committee;

(iii)     The Parliamentary Committee under clause (ii) shall be constituted by the Speaker, National Assembly, comprising fifty percent members from the treasury benches and fifty percent from the opposition benches, based on their strength in Majlis-e-Shoora (Parliament), to be nominated by the respective Parliamentary Leaders:

                   Provided that the Parliamentary Committee shall recommend the name of the Chairman not later than thirty days;

(iv)    The total strength of the Parliamentary Committee shall be twelve members out of which one third shall be from the Senate. If the National Assembly stands dissolved at the material time, all the members of the Committee shall be from the Senate;

(v)     The Chairman shall, on such terms and conditions as may be determined by the Federal Government, hold office for a non­extendable term of three years and shall not be eligible for subsequent appointment as Chairman and shall not be removed from office except on the grounds and in the manner as provided in Article 209 of the Constitution:

                   [2][Provided that as and when the office of the Chairman NAB falls vacant or when the Chairman NAB is absent or unable to perform the functions of his office, due to any reason whatsoever, the Deputy Chairman NAB shall act as Chairman NAB and in absence of Deputy Chairman NAB, the Federal Government shall appoint an acting Chairman NAB from amongst the senior officers of the NAB; and]

(vi)    The Chairman may, by writing under his hand, addressed to the Federal Government, resign from his office.]

[3][(ba) A person shall not be appointed as Chairman NAB unless he--

(i)       is a retired Chief Justice or a Judge of the Supreme Court or a Chief Justice of a High Court; or

(ii)      is a retired officer of the Armed Forces of Pakistan equivalent to the rank of a Lieutenant General; or

(iii)     is a retired Federal Government Officer in BPS-22 or equivalent]

[4][(c)   x x x x x x]


*.       The NAB Ordinance, 1999 and all rules, notifications and orders made or issued thereunder have been adapted and applied in the Northern Areas, see SRO-467(I)/2000, dt. 28-6-2000.

[1].       Substituted by National Accountability (Amendment) Act, XI of 2022, dated 22.6.2022.

[2].       Substituted by National Accountability (Amendment) Act, (XXIV of 2023), dated 30.5.2023.

[3].       Added by Ordi. CXXXIII of 2002 dated 23.11.2002, PLJ 2003 Fed. St. 301.

[4].       Omitted by Act, XVI of 2022, S. 5.