ISLAMABAD, Oct 10: As the government prepares to rush a controversial accountability law through parliament, a reconstituted Standing Committee on Law and Justice of the National Assembly went into an emergency session and hurriedly adopted 10 clauses of the draft legislation, rejecting all opposition objections.

The presence of chief whip of the ruling PPP, Syed Khurshid Shah, was conspicuous in the meeting of the NA body he is not a member of.

The committee, through a majority vote, approved Oct 1, 2002, as the cut-off date and decided to exclude the military and the judiciary from the ambit of the law, amid protest by the tiny opposition.

It also decided with majority that the chairman of the proposed Accountability Commission would be a retired judge of the Supreme Court or eligible to be appointed as judge, dropping the provision for the office going to a former bureaucrat.

At the very outset of the meeting, the opposition raised objection to the composition of the committee, complaining that the ruling coalition outnumbered the other side. The PML-N has four members on the 20strong committee. The opposition was of the view that the matter be referred to the speaker for reconstitution of the committee to give it a balanced shape.

Briefing reporters, Zahid Hamid of the PML-N observed that there should be no artificial cut-off date and the process should be carried out irrespective of the date of the crime`s commission. He said the PML-N was of the view that spouses and dependents of the accused and benami transfers should also be covered under the law, but this amendment was also voted out.

Zahid Hamid said the opposition had suggested 58 changes in the accountability law proposed by the government three-and-a-half years ago. Of these, 54 had been agreed to. He, however, said that the government had now come out with an absolutely new law, which he rejected as flawed, saying that it would facilitate corruption rather then obviating it. He said the cut-off date would mean legalising corruption and corrupt practices before the date.

The PML-N leader said the procedure for appointment of the Chairman had also beenreversed. Under the new procedure, prime minister and the leader of the opposition would refer two names each to the NA Committee on Law and Justice, which would approve one out of them. In case the committee fails to reach a decision within 14 days, the prime minister will again send two names, with the leader of the opposition out of the process now. And if the stalemate persists in the committee, the name on the top would automatically stand approved.

Mr Hamid said the security of tenure of the chairman had also been taken away. He said according to the previous draft, the chairman could have only been removed by invoking Article 209 of the Constitution, involving the Supreme Judicial Council.

Now the chairman of the commission can be removed on health grounds and misconduct. He said the procedure to be adopted for removal hadalso not been specified.

He said the intention of the government was obvious it wanted to bring in a person of its choice for selective accountability, but the opposition decided not to stay away and use the committee`s forum to express its viewpoint at least. He said amendments would be introduced in the bill when it came to the House.

Anushe Rehman of the same party said the coalition partners were equal partners in the adoption of the clauses meant to protect the corrupt, besides the JUI-F, which otherwise sat on the opposition benches.

The committee which remained in session for about four hours will meet again on Thursday at 10am. The bill, if passed by the committee, is likely to be approved by the National Assembly in its evening session. It will then go to the Senate, which is to end its session on Oct 19.