Seeking support for the country’s business, industrial, and trade sector – FPCCI president Mian Nasser Hyatt Maggo has asked the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to play its due role in creating an atmosphere that encourages economic progress. The DG NAB, according to Mian Nasser Hyatt Maggo, should be aware of any improper treatment of businessmen by government officials, and any unjust notices should be rescinded. As part of Dr Najaf Quli Mirza’s visit to the FPCCI Headquarters in Karachi, he addressed an audience of key business figures from throughout Pakistan, in person and via Zoom. He was addressing the group on behalf of the FPCCI. Deputy Chairman NAB has advised that the liaison committee under him should not be formed by names, but rather by virtue of post, and any FPCCI President during his tenure should be made a member of it by virtue of post. He went on to say that the FPCCI and NAB should join forces to assist the business community in resolving disputes. Nasir Khan, VP FPCCI, spoke about the difficulties experienced by the business community due to the lack of industrial plots and speculative profiteering by authorities, and he suggested that these issues should be investigated to allay the business community’s worries. He pointed out that there are already too many watchdogs for white-collar crimes like FIA, FBR, SECP, etc., and that these agencies should continue to deal with matters of the business community. Adeel Siddiqui, VP FPCCI said that the ease of conducting business in the country is severely disadvantaged in comparison to the rest of the region owing to the fear of NAB prosecution, and no bureaucrat is ready to take any decisions to avoid any future investigations, he added. He went on to say that Sindh needs a solid land conversion system that is both effective and transparent. Businessmen are ready to face any probes based on merit, according to him, but the hearings must be expedited so that they aren’t harmed by investigative agencies’ mistakes and inaction. The cancellation of lease licenses in Sindh and the subsequent demands for money to restore them by corrupt officials in several departments shocked him, too. In the words of DG NAB, no business entity with clean hands should be terrorized or held back in their investments and expansion plans; and NAB does not divulge into any business’s matters unnecessarily and 90 percent of the cases relating to businesses are dealt with by other investigative organizations. He also took the time to listen to the grievances of the individuals and welcomed them into his office to have further in-depth discussions about the issues still unresolved. For the previous three years, NAB has recovered roughly 450 billion rupees, and this proves that NAB is operating better than other investigating agencies, according to DG NAB Sindh. NAB’s thorough productive and collaborative sessions with FPCCI will help settle all lingering concerns in the business community, as well as raise awareness and improve relations between business and government.