NAB’s resolve against corruption to remain undeterred: chairman

ISLAMABAD: National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman Justice (R) Javed Iqbal on Thursday said despite the restricted budget, the conviction rate in the cases is above 70 percent.

“The NAB budget is limited and whenever the NAB initiated any inquiry against government officials of the day, and though they could not do anything yet sometime they freeze the hardship allowance of the NAB or put the cut on the budget but the NAB determination will not be affected by these kind of measures in war against corruption,” he said while addressing the seminar titled, “Corruption an impediment in Economic Development; Official Authority a sacred public responsibility”, organised by the NAB Rawalpindi here at NAB Headquarters on Thursday.

The NAB chairman said the NAB will face all difficulties for the cause but will never make any compromise with anyone either be in power or in opposition or belongs to any segment of society. “Anyone who sustains the loss to country through corruption is answerable not only before the Almighty Allah but also before the NAB and the courts of law,” he said.

Justice (R) Javed Iqbal said he never responded to the criticism on him but if the allegations were levelled against the NAB without any purpose and for the sake of the allegations then he will not silent being head of the institution.

The chairman NAB said that taking mega corruption cases to logical conclusion is the foremost priority of NAB. He said NAB has filed 105 references out of 179 corruption cases, furthermore, 19 corruption cases are being investigated while 15 cases are at inquiry stage right now. “The cases are being pursued as per law. Whereas 40 cases have been disposed of as per law,” he said.

He said NAB deals mega corruption cases and right now 1210 corruption references of Rs900 billion are in various accountability courts. He said that NAB has fixed a time frame of 10 months to conclude the corruption cases of scientific basis and in light of prevalent laws. “No other corruption dealing institution has ever fixed timeframe for concluding corruption cases,” he said.