Daily Times

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) while clarifying Ansar Abbasi’s news item titled ‘Pre Arrest questions of NAB and answers of Ahsan Iqbal’ published in Daily Jang and The News on December 26 said that the NAB has decided to send legal notice to Ansar Abbasi and Jang Group for not obtaining point of view of the NAB while publishing news item related to NAB and trying to tarnish the image of the bureau in a sub judice matter.

In the notice, Jang Group and Ansar Abbasi will be asked to publish NAB’s clarification within next 15 days for publishing concocted and baseless news stories against NAB and apologise. It merits mentioning here that distorting facts is tantamount to interfering NAB investigation NAB reserves the right of initiating legal proceedings against Jang Media Group and the reporter as per law.

It may be mentioned here that the reporter, Ansar Abbasi, has earlier also published a news item about appearance of Shahid Khaqan Abbasi in NAB without seeking NAB’s point of view. Subsequently, NAB had filed a reference in accountability court Islamabad and the reference is currently under trial in the respected accountability court, Islamabad.

NAB has time and again asked the Jang Group and the reporter in writing and verbally that NAB is national apex anti-corruption organisation which is working to eradicate corruption from the country which is collective responsibility of the whole nation, including Jang Group also along with NAB. Jang Group and the reporter should get the point of view of NAB but Jang Group and the reporter did not obtained point of view of NAB and published news item without point of view of NAB which is an example of journalistic dishonesty, the bureau stated.

“The record of Jang Group and reporter’s continued propaganda campaign to malign the credibility of NAB will be presented before the relevant forum at appropriate time. NAB strongly believes in performing its duties as per law. NAB believes in eradication of corruption and recover[y of] looted money from corrupt elements. NAB has already recovered Rs 153 billion directly or indirectly from the corrupt elements in last 27 months during the tenure of the present leadership of NAB.” It said the NAB has once again asked Ansar Abbasi and Jang Group to get the point of view of NAB spokesman before filing/airing any news story about NAB and “do not publish it with distorting the facts”.

“NAB condemns organised propaganda campaign of Jang Group and the reporter against NAB and hope that Jang Group would avoid publishing news items keeping in view journalistic standards and code of ethics and will not publish news stories without getting NAB’s point of view which is its obligation as per law.”