ISLAMABAD: National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman Justice (r) Javed Iqbal said on Tuesday that elimination of corruption was the top priority of the bureau.
Addressing NAB officers, the chairman said that now a change would be visible in working of NAB. “The aim of NAB is not to take revenge from any province, party or individual. The country owes $84 billion of foreign debt. NAB is committed to recovering looted money from the corrupt by pursuing a zero-tolerance policy. NAB believes in forcing the corrupt to stand in the dock and depositing the looted money into the national exchequer. NAB will provide sufficient evidence against the corrupt to enable the courts to convict them,” he said.
He said that NAB had filed 96 mega corruption cases out of a total of 179 cases in relevant courts. “Inquiries are being continued in 25 cases of mega corruption while investigations are being continued in 25 corruption cases,” he said. He directed all regional NAB offices to submit reports on mega corruption cases within three months.
“We have decided to evaluate performance of regional NAB offices,” he said. He directed NAB officials to file cases in courts after collecting sufficient evidence along with relevant details of each case. “Police station culture in NAB will not be tolerated. Now onwards, NAB will take care of self respect of every one as law prohibits NAB from the wrong use of its powers. The whole nation has pinned its hopes on NAB for elimination of corruption. NAB officers must adhere themselves to law of the land as our affiliation is only with the country,” he said.
“NAB will have to take mega corruption cases, white collar crimes to the logical conclusion. The NAB officers have been given training to enable them to meet present day’s challenges. NAB has established a forensic laboratory in Islamabad. Corrupt, inept officers have no place in NAB. Honesty, efficiency and professional competence will be encouraged in NAB,” the chairman said.
He said he himself would look after seniority, appointments and promotion cases of all NAB officers according to the law. “No officer will face any discrimination. Adherence to the law will be promoted in NAB. Corruption can be eliminated from the country with iron hands,” he said.
He said that the elimination of corruption would be a national service and also guarantee a better future for the country. “NAB must not be used as a point-scoring tool, but it believes in across the board accountability,” he said.
Published in Daily Times, November 22nd 2017.
