Daily Times

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Monday constituted a six-member businessmen committee to remove the reservations of the traders, improve economy and resolve genuine complaints.

According to a NAB press release, the businessmen committee has been mandated to forward its recommendations directly to NAB chairman for implementation. The committee has been constituted by using powers conferred under Section 33-C of the NAB Ordinance. The committee has been tasked to make recommendations about business community’s issues to NAB chairman.

The businessmen committee’s recommendations will be reviewed by a three-member NAB committee comprising deputy chairman, prosecutor general accountability and director general operations. The NAB committee will review the recommendations of the business committee and forward its final recommendations to the chairman. The chairman will issue directives for resolution of the issues of the business community.

The committee members include Vice President SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry Iftikhar Ali Malik; President Pakistan Federation of Chamber, Daro Khan Achakzai; Atif Bajwa, former president Bank Al-Falah; President Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry Anjum Nisar; Chairman Millat Tractors Sikandar Mustafa Khan and Former Chief Citizen Police Liaison Committee (CPLC) Jamil Yousaf.

The issues of the business community will be resolved with mutual understanding, the NAB spokesman said, adding that the decision of chairman NAB will be final. The complaints regarding the reference already filed will not be considered.

The businessmen committee will be of consultative nature and it has nothing to do with powers conferred to the NAB. “The bureau respects business community and all possible steps will be taken to progress, prosperity of economy and its betterment as NAB has only facilitations with the state of Pakistan and its prosperity,” the statement maintained. The announcement comes two weeks after NAB Chairman Justice (r) Javed Iqbal told a press conference that none of the bureau’s officials would call any businessman directly for questioning and that NAB would not investigate cases of tax evasion and those related to bank default except the ones referred to it by the banks. That announcement was made by the anti-graft watchdog chief days after some business tycoons had shared their concerns regarding the accountability process with Prime Minister Imran Khan and Chief of the Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa in separate meetings.

Meanwhile, NAB Chairman Justice (r) Javed Iqbal and High Commissioner of Australia Dr Geoffrey Shaw on Monday discussed the matters of mutual interest. Speaking on the occasion, NAB chairman thanked the high commissioner on provision of modern equipment for NAB’s state of the art forensic science laboratory by the Australian National Police. The high commissioner lauded chairman’s corruption elimination efforts.