Islamabad, April 17, 2019 (PPI-OT): Honourable Justice Mr. Javed Iqbal, Chairman National Accountability Bureau (NAB) said that NAB’s top most priority is to take mega corruption white collar crimes cases to logical conclusion and return of people’s looted money by housing societies. The NAB has already made Double Shah as Single Shah and no body will be allowed to plunder the people as Double Shah did in past.
Addressing Rs 73 crore distribution ceremony among the affectees of Ferozepur Housing Society in NAB, Lahore, he said corruption is root cause of all ills being confronted by the country and that is also main hurdle to country’s progress and prosperity. He said that NAB is determined to eradicate corruption under its policy of accountability for all. Country’s standing in corruption perception index is persistently on decline owing to effective anti corruption strategy and performance shown by NAB.
NAB’s anti corruption strategy was lauded by international institutions including Pildat, Mashaal, Gillani and Gallup survey, Transparent International and International Economic Forum. NAB has worked on merit by ensuring transparency in its operations during the last 17 months. NAB officers performed their duties by utilizing all resources with best of their abilities.
That had transformed NAB a credible and viable organisation. The conviction ratio of NAB in trial court is about 70 percent. The performance of NAB remained excellent during 2018 as comparing to similar anti corruption institutions. He said that NAB has so far deposited record Rs 303 billion in National Exchequer since its inception. Rs 900 billion worth 1210 corruption references are under trial in different Accountability Courts.
NAB was elected first chairman of Saarc Anti Corruption Forum. NAB has signed a MoU with China to check corruption in China Pakistan Economic Corridor project. NAB has established first Forensic Laboratory in Rawalpindi Bureau. The laboratory has the facilities of analysing forensic, questionnaires and finger prints. NAB has fixed 10 months period for filing corruption references in Accountability courts after completing complaint verifications, investigations and inquiries of the cases. NAB has constituted joint investigation team comprising senior supervisory staff, director, additional director, investigation and legal council. This had not only improved the performance of NAB but also make investigations fool proof and nobody dare influencing the investigations. Joint investigation team has produced encouraging results.
He said that NAB has devised a policy of considering only cases without caring about the faces behind it.
NAB has no affiliation with any individual, group or political party. NAB respects self esteem of everybody. Chairman had strictly directed officials to avoid handcuffing suspects. NAB’s policy was accountability for all by pursuing zero tolerance policy. Self accountability is priority of the Bureau.
Chairman NAB directed regulators to take notice of attractive advertisements of housing societies. Regulators is duty bound to take action against illegal housing societies. Some housing societies even do not possess land, NOC or layout plan but entrap innocent people through advertisements and brochures. He urged the people to invest only on legal societies after checking of their credentials from concerned departments.
He said every person will present himself before Almighty Allah empty handed as coffin has no pocket. One has to leave this world empty handed. NAB was taking action against housing societies who did not return people’s money or give the plots as promised. NAB strongly believes in across the board Accountability without enduring any duress.
Earlier Director General NAB Lahore, Shahzad Saleem said that NAB Lahore Bureau is working very hard to return the hard earned money looted by housing societies to people.
He said that NAB had distributed Rs 20 billion among affectees from its establishment to 2017. Whereas 2018 till date, NAB Lahore has distributed Rs 6.62 billion among the affectees. NAB Lahore Indirect recovery during the period remained Rs 5.33 billion, which had already been distributed among the affectees. NAB Lahore has arrested 215 suspects.
A Prevention Committee has already been constituted in NAB, Lahore. The committee comprising LDA, Town Management Authorities, society members and NAB officers taking strict measures against fake housing societies.
Honourable Justice Mr. Javed Iqbal, Chairman NAB lauded the performance of NAB Lahore under the supervision of DG NAB Lahore by Shahzad Saleem and hoped that NAB Lahore will recover and distribute the remaining looted money from housing societies among the affectees and corrupt elements will be taken to task as per law.
For more information, contact:
National Accountability Bureau (NAB)
Attaturk Avenue G-5/2, Islamabad, Pakistan
Tel: +92-51-111-NAB-NAB (111-622-622)
Fax: +92-51-9214503
Email: chairman@nab.gov.pk, infonab@nab.gov.pk
Website: www.nab.gov.pk