Chairman National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Justice (Retd) Javed Iqbal has said the anti-graft organization is committed to eradicate corruption with absolute professionalism, transparency and on merit with iron hands. He said since its inception, NAB has recovered 303 billion rupees which is record achievement. He said that NAB’s main focus is on mega corruption cases including money laundering and embezzlement of state funds. He was chairing a meeting at NAB headquarters in Islamabad Friday. He noted that corruption is mother of all evils which undermines development and is one of the major hurdles in the way of prosperity and progress of the country. Javed Iqbal said that NAB has filed 590 corruption references during the last 16 months. The Chairman NAB directed all DGs to conduct complaint verification, inquiries and investigations on the basis of solid evidence in accordance with law and ensure self respect of every person. According to a press statement, the NAB chief said that eradication of corruption is the top most priority of NAB. NAB absolutely committed to eradicate corruption with absolute professionalism, transparency and on merit with iron hands. Corruption is mother of all evils which undermines development and is one of the major hurdles in the way of prosperity and progress of the country. NAB had adopted an enforcement based approach in its fight against corruption: Chairman NAB Considering these facts, NAB was established as Pakistan’s apex Anti-corruption organization which is assigned with the responsibility of elimination of corruption and Corrupt Practices and recovers looted money from corrupt elements and deposits it in national exchequer. Since its inception, NAB has deposited Rs. 303 Billion in the national exchequer which is record achievement. He said that NAB’s main focus is on mega corruption cases of money laundering, embezzlement of state funds, cheating public at large, housing societies/cooperative societies scams, fraudulent financial companies, bank frauds and misuse of authority, etc. Since NAB’s operational methodology comprises of complaint verification, inquiry and investigation and finally to a corruption reference in the respected Accountability Court. NAB has rationalized its workload and timelines have been prescribed for efficient, effective and expeditious disposal of cases. A system of Combine Investigation Team (CIT) system has been made effective on the basis of best practices in order to benefit from the experience and collective wisdom of senior supervisory officers. This is not only lending quality to the work but also ensuring that no single individual can influence the official proceedings of NAB. He said that NAB had adopted the Enforcement based approach in its fight against corruption. Special focus is therefore being given to Awareness and Prevention activities besides Enforcement policy to aware the people especially youth at large about the ill effects of corruption at an early stage. He noted that NAB during the last 16 months, received 44,315 complaints which were almost double in number from the previous year. The Chairman said NAB has filed 590 corruption references in respected Accountability courts during the last 16 months which is an excellent achievement as compared to last five years of NAB. On the basis of across the board accountability under its Enforcement policy, NAB has not only arrested 569 accused persons but also recovered Rs. 4200 million from corrupt elements and deposited all amount in national exchequer during the last 16 months. agencies