Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman Justice (r) Javed Iqbal on Monday said the bureau was absolutely committed to eradicating corruption with iron hands and make the country corruption-free.

He said eradication of corruption is vital for a strong economy and prosperity of the country.

Chairing a meeting to review the performance of NAB at its headquarters, the chairman said that since 2017, which can basically be called a year of re-invigoration of NAB, “we have moved with new zeal and effort.”

He said through detailed introspection and analysis of organisational weaknesses, overhaul of procedures and processes, all pillars of the organisation ie operations, prosecution, human resource development and awareness and prevention, have been reactivated and reinvigorated.

The chairman said the concept of a Combined Investigation Team has been introduced in NAB where two investigation officers and a legal consultant are working as a team for a fair, transparent and unbiased, inquiry/investigations as per law.

Javed Iqbal said NAB has decided to fix time limit for each step of enforcement ie two months for complaint verification, four months for inquiry and four months for investigation.

He said Transparency International has rated Pakistan in Corruption Perception Index from 175 to 116. This is because of an effective anti-corruption strategy which has started yielding positive dividends.

Similarly, the Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development & Transparency has indicated that 42 percent people have confidence upon NAB as compared to Federal Investigation Agency and the police. The World Economic Forum (WEF) and Mishal Pakistan according to Global Competitiveness Index of WEF rated Pakistan from 126 to 122 this year.

He said NAB officers are deeming eradication of corruption as their national duty. “Efforts to combat corruption have been initiated with realiSation that eradication of corruption from Pakistan is not only NAB’s responsibility but it is a collective social responsibility; that it would result in common good and that we all are together in eradication of corruption from Pakistan,” he added.

He directed all officers of NAB to demonstrate absolute fairness and transparency as per law in discharge of their national duties.

Published in Daily Times, April 24^th 2018.