NAB law set for major amendments

January 31, 2026 (MLN):  The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) law is set for significant changes, with a new bill proposing extendable terms for key officials, a lower investigation threshold, and the introduction of a second appeal to the Federal Constitutional Court against High Court decisions.

The National Accountability (Amendment) Act, 2026 has been submitted to the Senate Secretariat by Senator Muhammad Abdul Qadir, according to a press release issued.

The bill seeks to amend sections 5, 6, and 7 of the existing NAB Ordinance, 1999, allowing the NAB Chairman and other key officials to have their terms extended and to continue performing duties until a new appointment is made, even after their official tenure expires.

Under the proposed amendments, the investigation threshold would be lowered from Rs500m to Rs300m, which will enable the bureau to probe smaller corruption cases.

A new Section 32A would also permit a second appeal to the Federal Constitutional Court, but only in cases involving substantial legal questions or serious procedural errors that could result in a grave miscarriage of justice.

Currently, the NAB law does not allow extensions for the Chairman or Deputy Chairman, and appeals against High Court rulings are restricted. The amendments are potentially expected to be discussed and potentially approved in the next Senate session.

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