NAB actions over procedural mistakes, errors: 'Fear not - I'll protect you,' PM tells bureaucrats

Prime Minister Imran Khan has stated that the government's primary purpose is to ensure wealth creation as it is critical for the repayment of national debt.

Addressing civil servants here on Thursday, the Prime Minister stated that during the last ten years, Rs 30 trillion was taken as debt and now half of the tax collection goes towards debt servicing.

He said: "wealth creation would happen only when there is industrialization in the country, agriculture productivity increases and housing scheme becomes functional and for all this, it is important that governance system is improved and decision-making is expedited".

The Prime Minister said that bureaucrats were not taking decisions due to the fear of National Accountability Bureau (NAB). He said there were some legitimate complaints of bureaucracy after the arrest some bureaucrats by NAB which created fear in bureaucracy that bureaucrats could also be arrested on mere procedural loopholes.

The Premier added that on procedures, there is always a risk in big projects and its downside is that bureaucracy is conservative across the world and on top of that if there is fear of NAB then it would not take any big decision.

He said that in the housing project, the government expects help from the bureaucracy because this is very ambitious project to construct five million houses in the country.

The Prime Minister stated that the government has decided that on procedural mistakes it would protect bureaucracy from the NAB. He added the government has also decided to protect business community because it does not come under the purview of NAB.

He said that definition of corruption across the world is using public office for private gains. He said that no case of corruption against the business community can be made unless it is attached with public office-holder.

He said that tax issue is subject of the Federal Board of Revenue and NAB has nothing to do with it.

The Prime Minister stated that he has also communicated to the NAB chairman that there is a big problem as because of economic stabilization, 2019 was a very difficult year.