Daily Times

National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) Executive Board Meeting was held at NAB headquarters on Tuesday with NAB Chairman (retd) Justice Javed Iqbal in the chair.

The meeting was attended by NAB Deputy Chairman Hussain Asghar, Syed Asghar Haider, Prosecutor General Accountability (PGA), Zahir Shah Director General Operations, Irfan Naeem Manging Director General NAB, Rawalpindi and other senior officers of the bureau attended the meeting.

It is a yearlong policy of NAB to share the details of EBM with the public which does not aim to hurt anyone as all inquiries and investigations are initiated on the basis of allegations, which are not final.

NAB decides to go ahead with case after assessing the merits of the cases and after knowing flip side of the coin. NAB is human friendly organisation and it is firmly believe in respecting every accused.

The EBM accorded approval to conduct some 17 inquiries against various accused including public office holders in fake bank accounts scam, ten inquiries against legal persons and others, public office holders,relevant staff owners/ directors of sugar mills in omni group in fake bank account scan and others, officials/officers of OGDCL,Imran Saleem,Inspector Punjab Police,Muhammad Naeem Akbar,Aamir Ishaq Malik, Citi Housing Scheme,Private Limited,Captain Ejaz Haroon , former Managing Director, PIA,Ali Tahir Qasim, Chief Commercial Officer,PIA, Tariq Mehmood Sheikh, Chief Executive Officer, messer Air International Pvt, limited and others,Akbar Nasir Khan and inquiries are also approved against former chief operating officer,Punjab,officers/officials of Safe Citi Authorities.

The EBM authorised investigations against management of Oil and Gas Development Authority (OGDCL).

The EBM authorised conducting investigation against officials, Sandak metals, limited, and others, owners/directors and others of Nirala MSR Foods,limited Lahore,inquiry against Management of SECP, national testing services to concerned Department, while EBM approved referring inquiry against Messers Adult/HRL JV and others to Civil Aviation Authority for further proceedings.

NAB Chairman Justice Javed Iqbal said that all available resources are being utilised to take mega corruption cases to logical conclusion. Top most priority of bureau is to punish accused involved in different scams, including sugar,flour,money laundering,fake accounts, abuse of authority,assets beyond means,illegal housing societies,modarba scam.

For over three years, the NAB has brought to justice those who could not have been held accountable. The NAB has recovered Rs535 billion directly and indirectly from corrupt elements in the last three years, which is a record achievement. The NAB chairman said that the bureau values the services of the business community for the development of the country.

NAB chairman met the business community leaders at NAB headquarters in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad and not only took immediate steps to resolve their issues but also referred the cases of income tax, sales tax and underwinning to the FBR. Instead, a special desk headed by a director was set up at the NAB headquarters in Islamabad to address the problems of the business community, for which the leaders of the business community thanked the Chairman NAB, Justice Javed Iqbal.

He said that bureaucracy is the backbone of any country. The National Accountability Bureau not only respects the bureaucracy but also values its services, he added.

After assuming office in 2017, the NAB chairman addressed the Federal Secretaries in Cabinet Division Islamabad, Provincial Secretaries in Lahore, the capital of Punjab and Secretaries in Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The NAB chairman said that the approval of plea bargain is given by the esteemed accountability court. In the plea bargain, the accused not only confesseses to his guilt but also returns the looted money of the country and the nation. Since its inception, the NAB has recovered Rs822 billion directly and indirectly from corrupt elements.

The NAB chairman said that the bureau is the focal institute of Pakistan under the United Nations Convention against Corruption. In addition, NAB is the chairman of SAARC Anti-Corruption Forum. NAB’s performance has been praised by reputable national and international organisations, including Transparency International Pakistan, World Economic Forum, Global Peace Canada and Mishal Pakistan. According to the Gilani & Gallup poll, 59 per cent of people expressed confidence in NAB.