Eradicating corruption top priority: NAB chairman

ISLAMABAD: National Accountability Bureau Chairman Justice (R) Javed Iqbal has said that eradicating corruption and taking to mega corruption cases to logical conclusion is top most priority of the NAB and the corrupt, absconders and proclaimed offenders would be arrested and taken to task as per law to recover looted money from them and will deposit in national exchequer.

“This would help putting the country on road to progress, prosperity and completing all development projects on time,” he said while chairing a meeting of the here at NAB Headquarters to review the overall performance of the NAB.

The NAB chairman directed all Regional Bureaus of the NAB to file applications in respected accountability courts for early expediting the ongoing corruption references. The meeting was told that Justice (R) Javed Iqbal immediately after assuming the responsibilities of Chairman NAB on Oct 11, 2017, had devised the policy of “Accountability for All” and declaring the slogan Faith of NAB -- Corruption Free Pakistan.

The NAB chairman directed officers to perform their duties by working hard, transparently with dedication under the relevant laws in a transparent way. It was informed that NAB has been made a vibrant and credible institution in a period of just 13 months from Oct 11, 2017 to Dec 31, 2018. The reputable National and International organizations have time and again acknowledged the excellent performance and credibility of the NAB.

Justice (R) Javed Iqbal said that NAB is committed to eradicate corruption through effective National Anti-Corruption strategy for logical conclusion of mega corruption white collar crimes cases by adopting “Accountability for All” policy as the figures of complaints, inquiries and investigations are almost double as compared to the figures of same period of 2017 to 2018.

The comparative figures for the last one year from Oct 2017 to Dec 2018 are also indicative of NAB’s performance. During the meeting it was informed that the NAB in the last 13 months, the NAB has received 54,344 complaints from October 11, 2017 to Dec 31, 2018. Out of which 2125 complaints verification, 1059 inquiries and 302 investigations were authorised.

The NAB has apprehended 561 corruption suspects and filed 540 corruption references in various accountability courts. The NAB has also recovered Rs3919.011 million from corrupt elements and deposited in the national exchequer. The ratio of punishment was 70.08 percent during the year 2018 which is unmatched as comparing to such other anti-corruption institutions of Pakistan.

The NAB has so far received 408431 applications since inception and authorised 14069 complaint verification, 9400 inquiries, 4122 investigations besides arrested 3813 accused persons and filed 3488 corruption references in various respected Accountability Courts throughout the country. The NAB has deposited Rs289.991 billion in national exchequer which is record achievement.

Furthermore, 1219 corruption references of NAB involving Rs895.135 billion are under trial in various respected Accountability Courts throughout the country. The NAB Chairman directed all prosecutors to pursue the cases with full preparations as per law on the basis of solid and incriminating evidence to conclude the corruption references to their logical conclusion. He said that the NAB is the only institution in the world which has fixed ten month timeframe to conclude white collar crime cases besides the NAB has also established its own state of the art Forensic Lab in Rawalpindi.