Islamabad, October 17, 2018 (PPI-OT): Honourable Mr. Justice Javed Iqbal, Chairman NAB said that corruption is mother of all evils as corruption undermines economic development and deprives deserving persons of their due right as per law. He said Pakistan is committed to United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) in eradicating corruption in all its manifestations by implementing its articles through its three pronged Anti-Corruption Strategy of Awareness, Prevention and Enforcement. He said this while chairing a meeting at NAB headquarters.
He said NAB since its inception received about 3, 99,861 complaints from individuals and private / public organizations. During this period, NAB authorized 13180 complaint verification, 8587 inquiries, 4124 investigations, filed 3401 corruption references in respective accountability courts. Currently, 1210 corruption references are under trial in respective Accountability courts across the country.
The figures of complaints, inquiries and investigations are almost double as compared to the same period of 2017 to 2018. The comparative figures for the latest one year are indicative of the hard work being put in by all ranks of NAB staff in an atmosphere of renewed energy and dynamism, where fight against corruption is being taken as a national duty. Increase in the number of complaints also reflects enhanced public trusted in the NAB.
He said that NAB’s prime focus is on cases of cheating public at large by fraudulent financial companies, bank frauds, willful bank loan defaults, misuse of authority and embezzlement of state funds by Government servants etc. Since NAB’s inception, one of NAB’s major achievements has been the recovery of around Rs. 297/- billion of ill-gotten money which was deposited in the national exchequer which is a remarkable achievement of NAB.
NAB’s operational methodology comprises of complaint verification, inquiry and investigation. Starting from the year 2017 which can be called basically a year of re-invigoration of NAB, we have moved with new zeal and effort. Through detailed introspection and analysis of organizational weaknesses, overhaul of procedures and business processes, all pillars of the organization i.e. Operations, Prosecution, Human Resource Development and Awareness and Prevention have been reactivated.
He said that NAB has established its first Forensic Science Lab (FSL) in NAB Rawalpindi which has facilities of Digital Forensics, Questioned Documents and Fingerprint Analysis. As per the report of Transparency International (TI), Pakistan’s ranking in the Corruption Perception Index (CPI) has improved, adding that Pakistan was considering role model in South Asian countries in its efforts against corruption. This is a great achievement for Pakistan due to NAB efforts.
The Corruption Perception Index (CPI) in the Pakistan as per Transparency International (TI), report was declining consistently due to steps taken by the present management of NAB against the corrupt. Besides TI, the independent national and International watch dogs like PLIDAT and World Economic Forum had also appreciated Pakistan’s efforts to curb corruption in Pakistan.
To create Awareness against the ill effects of corruption among the youth of Pakistan, National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has established over 50 thousands Character Building Societies (CBSs) in universities/colleges to create awareness against corruption as youths are considered a vanguard in this fight. He said that NAB intends to establish its own Anti-Corruption Academy at Islamabad equipped with state of the art/modern technology catering the capacity building needs of NAB investigation officers/prosecutors in order to investigate while collar crimes etc.
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