After the popular Citizens Police Liaison Committee (CPLC), Karachi is now to get a Citizens Corruption Liaison Committee (CCLC), the memorandum for which was signed at a ceremony held at the Governor House on Thursday in honour of the National Accountability Bureau’s chief.
Addressing the event - organised by Transparency International Pakistan to honour NAB Director General Lt Col (Retd) Siraj-ul-Naeem with the National Integrity Award - Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad said that as per last year’s findings business in Pakistan was most affected by five factors, of which corruption topped the list.
The rest were identified as unsuitable tax rates, inflation, access to finance and insufficient government bureaucracy cooperation.
Provincial ombudsman Asad Ashraf Malik and retired judges of the Sindh High Court were also present on the occasion.
Ebad said that it was unfortunate that corruption existed in the country in all domains, from politics to private and corporate sectors. “Our history shows that governments were overthrown on charges of corruption,” the governor stated.
He added that it was an established fact that an effective accountability mechanism was crucial for economic growth, investment and stability of social sector in any society.
“It is also a recognized fact that NAB’s intervention acted as a catalyst in ensuring transparency as it was a pre-requisite for promotion of investment and economic growth,” he opined.
The governor observed that NAB’s contributions in fighting the huge menace of corruption and curbing it through a three-pronged strategy - of awareness, prevention and enforcement - had turned out to be immensely successful.
He said that since 2014, NAB had acted with a renewed zeal and carried out a detailed analysis of organisational weaknesses, procedures and business processes as well as human resource development.
Ebad also appreciated NAB’s recovery and depositing of Rs276 billion in the national exchequer since its inception.
He also lauded its work with the youth and establishment of more than 20,000 character building societies (CBS) in universities and colleges across the country.
The governor said NAB Sindh was an important regional bureau of the investigative agency since its performance for the last year had been graded as outstanding and excellent, with an operational efficiency index of 88 percent by Chairman Inspection and Monitoring Team (CI&MT).
“Director General Lt Col (retd) Siraj-ul-Naeem has delivered these tremendous results, being commended by all concerned quarters,” he added.
He claimed that despite being subjected to extreme public scrutiny and pressure, NAB Karachi acted without fear or favour, earning admiration of countrymen as well as the international community.
Ebad further lauding NAB’s efforts stated that Lt Col Siraj’s effort to break the nexus between public officers and private sector including land grabbers, builders and politicians were remarkable.
Governor Sindh assured the NAB chief of his full support, and added that the award was a befitting reward for his dedication. He also commended TIP for honouring the NAB chief with the award in recognition of his services.
The governor observed that establishment of CCLC on the pattern of CPLC and anti-corruption and anti-fraud helplines would enable citizens to lodge their complaints for early redressal of their troubles.
TIP’s Suhail Muzaffar observed that the award had been awarded to four global personalities and Lt Col Siraj was the fifth person, but the first from Pakistan, to have received it.
The CCLC’s MoU was signed by principal secretary Muhammad Hussain Syed and Muzaffar.