Daily Times

National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman Justice Javed Iqbal on Wednesday directed the director generals to take complaint verification, inquiries and investigations to logical conclusion by ensuring merit, transparency in light of concrete evidence as per law.

He issued the directives during an Executive Board Meeting (EBM) of the NAB, which was attended by Deputy Chairman NAB, Prosecutor General Accountability, Director General Operations and other senior officers of the bureau.

It has been years-long policy of the bureau to share details of the EBM with the people. The aim of policy was not to hurt anybody and media is urged to avoid speculations in this regard. The inquiries and investigations are initiated on the basis of allegations which are not final and decision to go ahead with or otherwise is taken after knowing the other side of the picture.

The meeting noted that 1,261 corruption references having total value of Rs 943 billion were pending in 25 accountability courts at the moment.

The Executive Board Meeting (EBM) authorised filing a corruption reference against Abdul Hameed Mengal, Project Director, BIWRMDP, Irrigation department, Government of Balochistan and others, causing Rs 216.294 million losses to national exchequer by allegedly granting illegal contract to Noori Gorge, Integrated Grand Scheme.

The EBM authorized starting two investigations against the officers /officials of Anti-Corruption Establishment, Karachi, Sindh, officials of Revenue Department Scheme 33, Gulzar-e-Hijri, District Karachi and others.

The EBM okayed conducting four inquiries against Manzoor Ahmed Kanaser, Director General, Culture Department, Government of Sindh, Director Directorate of Planning and Development Works, Government of Sindh, officers/officials of Land Utilisation Department ,Government of Sindh, Mir Nadir Magsi, Member Provincial Assembly, Sindh, officers/ officials Land, Local Government Department and Provincial Highways Department, Bilawal Sheikh, Contractor, Paras Ram, Contractor and others, Nawab Sardar Khan Chandio, Member Provincial Assembly, Sindh and others.

The EBM accorded approval of closing inquiries as per law against Professor Dr Mujeeb ud Din Memon, Vice Chancellor, Sindh Agricultural University Tando Jam and others, officers/ officials of Provincial Highway Division, Sanghar and others due to absence of evidence. The EBM authorized sending inquiries against the employees of PIAC Procurement and Logistic departments and others to management of PIAC for further action.

The EBM authorized sending the ongoing inquiries against Abdul Jabbar Bhutto, Syed Ahmed Shah and others to Chief Secretary, Sindh for further action.

EBM directed the concerned to get technical report of inquiry against officers/officials of National Highway Authority, Ashraf D Baloch, government contractor and others from NED University, Karachi.

Justice Javed Iqbal said NAB was strictly pursuing the policy of ‘Accountability for All.’ Bureau’s foremost policy was to take mega corruption cases to logical conclusion. NAB has directly or indirectly recovered Rs 153 billion in last 26 months from the corrupt and deposited into the national exchequer. The performance of bureau has been lauded by prestigious national and international institutions. The recent report of World Economic Forum has lauded the awareness and prevention policy of NAB, which is honour for NAB. The Faith of NAB is corruption free Pakistan. The overall conviction ratio of bureau is 70 percent. NAB has filed 630 corruption cases in last 26 months in different accountability courts. NAB has also recovered billion of rupees from 44 accused involved in Mudarba /Musharka scams.

NAB respects the services of business community rendered for the progress and prosperity of the country. President Pakistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry Daroo Khan Achakzai has already lauded the initiatives of chairman for resolving the issues of NAB.