NAB takes precautionary measures to curb Covid-19

ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Tuesday devised strategy to ensure the attendance of NAB prosecutors in different NAB cases in respected accountability courts, respected high courts and Supreme Court of Pakistan during lockdown in various cities so that no case of NAB could be dismissed due to non-prosecution or non-appearance of NAB prosecutors.

A high level meeting of NAB presided over by Chairman Justice (R) Javed Iqbal was held here at NAB Headquarters on Tuesday. The meeting was attended by deputy chairman, NAB, prosecutor general accountability, director general, operations, DG headquarters, DG Human Resource Development, senior officers of the Bureau while director generals of all regional bureaus attended the meeting via video link.

The participants of the meeting maintained three to four feet space among themselves. The meeting was told that the entry of visitors had already been banned at NAB Headquarters and all Regional offices on the direction of NAB chairman.

The meeting decided to observe working hours of NAB offices from 9 am to 2 pm. The relevant DGs will reduce their staff by fifty percent in their respective offices and staff of over fifty years age enduring different diseases will be required in office in only urgent basis. Class four staff's attendance will be reduced by fifty percent. Special checking of staff and others will be ensured at entry gate through thermal guns. Special screening of the officers, staff members who had visited abroad in February and March 2020 would be conducted.

The meeting decided to close official transport of NAB besides exempting the staff from biometric attendance till April 5, 2020. The meeting decided to ensure frequent hand washing, use of sanitizer, gloves and masks. Women staff members were allowed to work from their homes till April 5.

In lockdown areas relevant DGs will remain present at their respective stations. The screening of accused in NAB custody will be ensured from qualified doctors besides providing them masks, gloves, sanitizer and other necessary equipment to protect them from deadly Covid-19.

The meeting suspended all meetings of NAB including open ketcheries, executive board meeting and other routine meetings till April 5. Relevant DGs will call their staff in only urgent nature of consultations. The meeting chaired by NAB chairman expressed its firm resolve that nobody will scare but to fight Covid-19. Only precautionary measures can save and protect from the deadly virus. The officers/officials should inform their relevant DGs if symptoms of corona appear so that immediate remedial measures could be taken on time.