Daily Times

KARACHI: Achieving a breakthrough-performance, National Accountability Bureau (NAB) fighting against the menace of corruption in government institutions of the country has so far recovered at least Rs 278 billion since year 2002, it has been learnt.

This was informed by Director Investigation Wing, Financial Crime at NAB, Zafar Iqbal Khan to the Daily Times on the sideline of a seminar titled “Role of Youth in Fight against Corruption”, held at the University of Karachi on Friday.

NAB was established in 1999 through an ordinance, which later became an act of the parliament through the 17th amendment. NAB had launched nationwide national anti-corruption strategy in 2002 to end corruption.

Moreover, a total of 563 officials of the Sindh government have reached Plea Bargain and returned the looted money. It is important mention here that Under the Services Rules, official/officials found involved in embezzlement of funds shall not hold the post and his services shall be terminated under Removal from Services Act, 2000.

In this regard, internal sources said that NAB has asked the Sindh government several times to initiate departmental action against 563 officials, who have voluntarily returned the embezzled government funds. But, the Sindh government instead of taking any action against corrupt officials has promoted a number of officers to further grade.

The Sindh government has issued show-cause notices to only 60 officials to remove them from services after they availed VR of the NAB.

Sindh government in the notice to grade-18 officer, Mohammad Paryal Shaikh stated that you are alleged to have committed an act of misconduct under Section 3 of the removal from service, Sindh Government Ordinance 2000.

Shaikh embezzled government money amounting to Rs 4.6 million and returned to NAB through VR, according to the notice. The notice further dispensed the need for an inquiry and called upon Shaikh to show cause within 14 days of the notice, as to why the prescribed penalty should not be imposed. If he fails to provide a proper explanation, he will face further action, sources added.