Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Describing corruption as the mother of all evils, the NAB has chalked out a comprehensive and holistic national anti-corruption strategy of awareness, prevention and enforcement in order to revamp NAB and to root out corruption from the country by making all the public and private institutions to serve the nation with best of its abilities on merit.

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 last one year is 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.

NAB’s operational methodology comprises of complaint verification, inquiry and investigation. NAB’s officers/officials need to follow strict rules, code of conduct/SOPs and merit according to law. NAB has established its first Forensic Science Lab (FSL) in NAB Rawalpindi which has facilities of Digital Forensics, Questioned Documents and Fingerprint Analysis. NAB has rationalized its workload and timelines have been prescribed for efficient, effective and expeditious disposal of cases putting a maximum limit of 10 months – from complaint verification-to-inquiry-to-investigation and finally to a reference in the Accountability Court. NAB has also introduced a new System of Combine Investigation Team (CIT) in order to benefit from the experience and collective wisdom of senior supervisory officers, a system of CIT comprising of Director, Additional Director, Investigation Officer and a Senior Legal Counsel has been put in place. This is not only lending quality to the work but also ensuring that no single individual can influence the official proceedings of NAB.

As per the report of Transparency International (TI) of 2016, Pakistan’s ranking in the Corruption Perception Index (CPI) has improved plus 9 points, adding that Pakistan was considering a role model in South Asian countries in its efforts against corruption. This is a great achievement for Pakistan due to NAB efforts. Besides Transparency International, the Independent National and International watch dogs like PLIDAT and World Economic Forum had also appreciated Pakistan’s efforts to curb corruption in Pakistan. NAB in collaboration with HEC signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in 2014 and in a very short span of time established over 45, 000 character building societies (CBSs) in the country in universities/ colleges and schools to create awareness against corruption.

It is encouraging for NAB that the Planning Commission of Pakistan has made anti-corruption part of development agenda which in the context of Governance and included a chapter devoted to issues of corruption in the 11th five year plan in order to achieve the goals set in the 11th five years plan for eradication of corruption which is great achievement for NAB. On the directions of Chairman NAB, NAB has started Awareness and Prevention Campaign besides Enforcement drive. NAB has constituted more than 60 Prevention Committee in the country including Prevention Committee on Religious Affairs, Revenue, PID, CDA and Housing Society in order to identify loopholes and proposed workable recommendations in consultations with all stakeholders. NAB has also been engaging different governmental and non-governmental organisations and civil society in fight against corruption as NAB is committed to root out corruption by adopting zero tolerance policy across the country without any fear and favour. NAB hopes that joint efforts of all stakeholders can collaborate to check corruption and corrupt practices before happening with the help of all stakeholders, civil society, media and people at large.

Published in Daily Times, January 14^th 2018.