CPEC projects: Pakistan, China working towards ensuring transparency: NAB chief

ISLAMABAD: NAB is absolutely committed to bring the corrupt elements to justice to eradicate corruption from the country by adopting the "Accountability for All" policy as corruption is the mother of all evils which is a major hurdle in the development and prosperity of the country.

This was stated by Justice Javed Iqbal, the NAB chairman. He said that NAB has no affiliation with any political party, group and individual. NAB officials have been directed to perform their duties in accordance with law with the realisation that eradication of corruption is their national duty.

He said that NAB is considered as a role model for entire SAARC countries. He said that Pakistan and China have inked Memorandum of Understanding MoU for eradication of corruption. Pakistan and China are jointly working for ensuring transparency in China Pakistan economic coordination in the CPEC project.

He said that NAB is the focal department under the United Nations Convention against Corruption which is pride for Pakistan. He said that NAB has established a state of the art Pakistan Anti Corruption Training Academy on modern lines to train its investigation officers and Prosecutors in order to inquire/investigate white collar cases more professionally and to plead them very vigorously in the respected Courts on the basis of solid evidence as per law. He said that NAB's proactive Anti-Corruption Strategy has started yielding positive dividends. Due to its effective anti corruption strategy, NAB has not only recovered Rs814 billion looted money from corrupt directly and indirectly since its inception and deposited it in the national exchequer which is a record achievement of any Anti Corruption Organisation working in Pakistan. NAB's conviction ratio is about 66 percent. NAB is utilising all its resources to apprehend Proclaimed Offenders and Absconders to bring them to justice as per law.

The Chairman NAB said that there are about 1273 references under trial in respective Accountability Courts and their approximately worth is Rs1300 billion. NAB has conducted probes in 56 public limited companies, probes in offshore companies, Fake Accounts, money laundering and misuse of authority, assets beyond known sources of income and cheating the public at large in illegal Housing/Cooperative Societies and Modaraba scams etc. He said that plea bargains are deemed convictions which are approved by respected Accountability Courts. After a plea bargain, the accused not only accepts his/her guilt in writing before the Court but also returns to its looted money in the national exchequer.

He said that NAB has great regard for the business community as they are the backbone of the development of any country. NAB has established special cells for addressing the complaints of the business community related to NAB. He said that NAB also respects bureaucracy and directed all concerned to ensure self respect of all persons visiting NAB offices as per law. He said that NAB during the period of present management of three years has recovered Rs533 billion from corrupt elements which is a record achievement.-PR

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021