Daily Times

National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chairman retired Justice Javed Iqbal on Monday lauded the policy of Balochistan bureau led by Director General NAB Balochistan Farmanullah Khan.

In a meeting held at NAB headquarters, Justice Javed Iqbal while reviewing the performance of NAB Balochistan said that corruption is a cancer and it should be eradicated, and that NAB is trying to achieve the target of corruption free Pakistan

During the meeting, it was informed that Balochistan bureau has received 1,191 complaints in 2018, of which 103 inquiries were authorized after scrutiny of 112 complaints. And 13 references were also filed, besides depositing Rs 1.5 billion in the national exchequer.

Director General, NAB, Balochistan told the meeting that the bureau had received 836 complaints in 2019 against different officers of government departments. Of which 106 inquiries/ investigations were authorized from out of 169 complaints. Some 127 inquiries and investigations were conducted during the year. Some 18 corruption references valuing Rs 21.8 billion were filed, and about Rs 80 million were deposited in the national exchequer.

In 2020, the bureau received 478 complaints out of which 70 inquiries/ investigations were authorized after scrutinizing 75 complaints. In total some 138 inquiries were investigated. Some 24 references were filed involving Rs 13 billion corruption, besides depositing Rs 170 million in the national exchequer, he added.

DG told the forum that NAB ,Balochistan received 195 complaints from January to May 2021. Some 28 inquiries were authorised for investigations from out of 31 complaints. During the current year investigations were continued on 47 inquiries. Some 15 references of Rs 7 billion corruption were filed and Rs 120 million were deposited in the national exchequer.

DG said the performance of Balochistan bureau remained excellent under the leadership of Justice Javed Iqbal, and during the tenure from the total of 5,000 complaints, investigations have been started on 1,100 complaints. Some 134 references valuing Rs 22 billion were filed in various accountability courts, while over Rs 125 billion were deposited in national exchequer after recovering from corrupt elements.

The Balochistan bureau has recovered Rs 252 billion land of Gwadar and handed it over to the Balochistan government. References worth billion of rupees have also been filed regarding Gwadar. NAB has also handed over properties valuing Rs 650 million from convicted criminals to the Balochistan government. Accountability courts convicted various suspects. The conviction ratio remained 78 percent, he added.