PPP Punjab President Qamar Zaman Kaira on Sunday criticised the government's decision to bring in amendments to the National Accountability Ordinance, saying that the changes were introduced "to save their allies".

"In order to save their saathhi (allies), they have introduced amendments in the NAB ordinance so that whether it is the Malam Jabba case or the BRT case, their party members remain safe," said Kaira during a press conference in Islamabad.

The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf government made drastic changes in the country’s accountability law — the National Accountability Ordinance, 1999 — through a presidential ordinance promulgated on Friday that would benefit not only politicians from across the aisle but also bureaucrats as well as the business community.

A day later, the majority of the amendments were taken back in view of growing criticism against what many critics described as a “mother of all NROs” to businessmen, bureaucrats and politicians.

Promising to bring in a new action plan, whereby "the government will be sent packing", Kaira said that signs of worry can already be seen on the part of the government.

"The extent of their worry is such that when Zardari said on the floor of the House that NAB and the economy cannot run together, a lot of criticism was dished out.

"When we said we want an amendment in the NAB laws, they accused us of seeking an NRO.

"We told them that our bill is ready for discussion in the Senate. But they not only refused, they resorted to bad mouthing," said Kaira, adding that the objectives behind bringing in the amendments now were evident.

He said it was already clear what the "fate" of the opposition leaders is after the courts granted them bail in various cases.

"Today, after this [new] ordinance, NAB cannot hold the army, the judiciary, the government, their allies, the bureaucracy, or the traders accountable.

"Only two parties remain who will now be probed and NAB will narrow its scope of investigation around these," said the PPP leader, in a reference to his own party and PML-N.

"The sins of those who allied with Khan sahib or the powerful have been forgiven. How will Khan sahib explain this amendment now?"

Kaira said that people now say there is no one left in their ranks. "So who did he mean to point at when he said he is facing a lot of resistance?"

"He says he wants change but his efforts are being denounced. He also says the opposition is nothing and can do nothing. Then who is he referring to? Who is countering his efforts?" said Kaira, continuing to raise questions on the premier's remarks made during an awards ceremony of the Pakistan Stock Exchange held in Karachi on Friday.

"What actually stands in his way are his own broken promises and his unveiled secrets," said Kaira.

He said that the "tsunami chant" the prime minister had loved to repeat during election campaigning "has come in the form of a plague and has drowned all schools of thought".

"So as a result, when the people are raising condemnations and exposing the lies from within the party's own rank and file there is a lot of frustration," said the PPP leader.

"So there is no condemnation, rather a sense of reproachment that is rising from within your own self," he said, addressing the premier.

He also criticised the premier for having made the parliament "redundant". "When the parliament had to play its biggest role and when we were calling for legislation, they didn't want it then. Now an ordinance factory next to the parliament is legislating," he said, in criticism of the President House.

"[Pakistan] Peoples Party has always fought challenges and led from the front. Bilawal has already laid out a plan and has the resolve to face the challenges.

"Soon we will see Khan sahib make the final U-turn of his political career which will send him back from where he came," the PPP leader boldy declared.

'Politically motivated FIR against PPP workers'

Kaira also censured the administration for registering a "politically motivated FIR" against PPP workers for having allegedly raised objectionable slogans during the Liaquat Bagh rally held by the party on Friday to commemorate the assassination of Benazir Bhutto at the same venue.

He spoke of the time when slogans were raised against PPP but they demonstrated restraint. "We were patient even amid accusations of committing treason against the country. There were all sorts of false allegations but we continued to tolerate them."

While appreciating the "excellent arrangements" made by the administration, the PPP leader requested that they not act as the government's "instruments of deception" and withdraw the FIR.

"The youth only chanted slogans out of their political enthusiasm [...] they get carried away."

He said that there had been efforts throughout to prevent the PPP from holding a rally. "They [NAB] were sending the chairman notices, refusing to give permission to hold the rally. There were many excuses given."

"But now that things have taken off, we won't be stopped."