Pakistan’s Senate passes amendments to anti-corruption law, expands NAB chief’s tenure

Pakistan’s Senate approved on Thursday amendments to the country’s primary anti-corruption law that would allow the head of the national anti-graft agency to serve a longer tenure and introduce a new appellate forum for accountability cases.

The National Accountability (Amendment) Bill, 2026, moved by Senator Mohammad Abdul Qadir, proposes changes to the National Accountability Ordinance, 1999, the law governing the National Accountability Bureau, Pakistan’s principal anti-corruption watchdog.

A key amendment would allow the NAB chairman to serve a three-year term that may be extended once for an additional three years by the federal government.

Under the current law, the chairman serves a single, non-extendable three-year term and is not eligible for reappointment.

The legislation also introduces a second appeal mechanism in accountability cases. Under the proposal, a person convicted under the law or the prosecution may challenge a High Court decision before a proposed Federal Constitutional Court within 30 days.

Previously, the Supreme Court of Pakistan served as the final appellate forum for accountability cases following High Court rulings.

Another amendment clarifies that both accountability courts and the relevant High Courts have the authority to grant bail or order the release of an accused person under provisions of Pakistan’s Code of Criminal Procedure.

Lawmakers said the provision seeks to remove ambiguity over which courts have the authority to grant bail in corruption cases.

The bill also proposes adjusting certain financial thresholds used in corruption cases each year to account for inflation, based on data published by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.

In addition, the amendment clarifies that procedural provisions governing trials under the ordinance will also apply to appeals, aiming to reduce ambiguity in accountability proceedings.

Pakistan’s Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar told the Senate the government had no objection to the private member’s bill and described the proposed amendments as constructive changes to the country’s accountability framework.

The National Accountability Bureau was established under the National Accountability Ordinance, 1999, and is responsible for investigating and prosecuting corruption and financial crime cases involving public officials in Pakistan.