Under the ordinance, the chairman can order the arrest of anyone not cooperating with NAB in an investigation.

The ordinance has also extended the maximum duration of physical remand from 14 days to 30 days.

The same government had earlier reduced the remand duration from 90 to 14 days. The previous amendment had also taken away the chairman’s power to issue warrants.

The changes in the law could lead to Imran Khan’s arrest as he arrives in Islamabad for a hearing on Tuesday. He and his wife, Bushra, have been summoned by NAB Rawalpindi in the Al-Qadir Trust case.

The federal cabinet hurried the amendments through a meeting on Monday before sending it to the acting president. Sanjrani signed the ordinance as President Arif Alvi is out of the country for performing Hajj.

The ongoing sitting of parliament also had to be indefinitely postponed as an ordinance cannot be passed while the houses are in session.

This story is being updated.