Former prime minister and PTI chairperson Imran Khan on Saturday moved the Supreme Court to challenge the recent amendments to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) laws by the coalition government.

On Khan’s behalf, Advocate Khawaja Harris prepared a petition under Article 184/3 against the NAB amendments. Khan and his party have criticised the amendments as unconstitutional.

The petition contends that the amendments to sections 2, 4, 5, 6, 25, 26, 14, 15, 21 and 23 of the NAB Ordinance are unconstitutional, and in direct violation of the fundamental rights provided under Articles 9 (security of a person), 14 (inviolability of dignity of a man, etc), 19A (right to information), 24 (protection of property rights), 25 (equality of citizens) of the Constitution.

Khan was critical of the changes and claimed that they were made to target specific persons. All these changes to the NAB bill should be declared null and void, he opined.

In the petition filed, Imran named the Federation of Pakistan and NAB as respondents.

The bill, along with the one on election reforms, was passed by the National Assembly and Senate last month. After its approval from both houses, the president’s assent was required for it to become law.

The NAB bill curtailed the powers of the anti-corruption watchdog, according to the PTI. However, President Dr. Arif Alvi refused to sign the National Accountability amendment bill twice, after which the incumbent government convened. However, according to law,10 days after a joint sitting passes a bill, it is considered law even if the president refuses assent.