NATIONAL RECONCILIATION ORDINANCE (NRO)

The National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO), termed as most notorious act of the 1973 Constitution, was issued by the former President of Pakistan General (Retd.) Pervez Musharraf on October 5, 2007. It granted amnesty to politicians, political workers and bureaucrats who were accused of corruption, embezzlement, money-laundering, murder and terrorism between January 1986 and October 12th 1999, the time between two Martial Laws. “Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in sub-section (1), the Federal Government, a Provincial Government may, before the judgement is pronounced by a trial court, withdraw from the prosecution of any person including an absconding accused who is found to be falsely involved for political reasons or through political victimisation in any case initiated between 1 day of January, 1986 to 12th day of October, 1999 and upon such withdrawal clause (a) and clause (b) of sub-section (1) shall apply.” The current Chief Justice of Pakistan, Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, suspended ordinance on October 12, 2007. But he was soon dismissed after Mushrraf abrogated revived the NRO on February 27, 2008. the continuing on November 7, 2007. The next Chief Justice, Abdul Hamned Dona consequences due to pending corruption cases. However, Musharraf had claimed that it Former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto to return to Pakistan without any legal Reasons: It has been widely believed that the act was a measure to allow the Late Benazir Bhutto and other political leaders — except exiled former premier Nawaz Sharif — such politically motivated cases. Musharraf signed this ordinance giving amnesty to was necessary to build a reconciliatory theme in the political arena with the removal of Pakistan Muslim League-Q were incorporated in the draft ordinance, described by the suggested by both the opposition Pakistan People’s party of Bhutto and the ruling in all court cases against them. The Cabinet approval came after several amendments governmen: as the “best” option in the prevailed circumstances. Musharraf stated that political reconciliation and harmony alone could help the ordinance states that all court cases and investigations against persons who have held public government tackle key issue like terrorism and extremism. The national reconciliation office till October 1999 will be terminated. This will apply to members of the National Assembly and Senate, the two house of Parliament. The provisions of the ordinance, however, will not apply to Nawaz Sharif, who was convicted in several cases in 2000. Musharraf apparently hastened the signing of the ordinance as it could not have been promulgated once the National Assembly was in session.