No deals, NRO or leeway will be offered to anyone: NAB chairman

NAB Chairman Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal on Tuesday said that "no deals, NRO or leeway" will be offered to anyone, making it clear that people facing corruption charges will have to face the music for their actions.

The NAB chairman, during his speech at an event in Islamabad, said that the bureau will take action wherever there is corruption and act against the perpetrators.

The anti-corruption watchdog’s chief said that "any power, influence or threats end at the bureau’s gate and no one is allowed to enter its premises. "

He reiterated that the bureau’s work will go on as it has been going on and the caravan will keep on continuing irrespective of what people say.

“A corruption-free Pakistan is NAB’s mission. No matter what is said, NAB will not back off,” he said, adding that the anti-corruption watchdog will keep on pursuing the cases that are with NAB.

In a jibe to criticism that NAB is pursuing one-sided cases, Justice (retd) Iqbal said the bureau will now pursue those cases which will end such views. 

He said that the allegation is incorrect as it was their job to look into cases of those who have been in power for the last 30 to 35 years, but added that now "it will have to look into cases of those people who have been in power for the last 12 months."

The retired justice said people say that NAB hasn’t done anything in the Peshawar BRT case but that is because the Supreme Court had barred it. He added that this is why NAB wasn’t taking any action in the case and is trying to get the restriction removed.

He further said that NAB neither has any friends nor does it have any enemies, and works under the Constitution and the law. He added that those who have not read the laws of NAB also criticise it.